The City of Washington, Indiana

Builder/ Contractor/ Developer

Dear Sir or Madam:

As of September 2004, the City of Washington adopted the Storm Water utility ordinance that included our Construction Site Storm Water Runoff Program. Our program has been in place now and we are continuing to try to improve it and educate you about maintaining erosion control measures on your construction sites. We have been working together to learn all that is required and necessary to maintain our construction sites in a manner that eliminates erosion and prevents silt from leaving the site. Many of you have done an excellent job, however some still have some work to do to live up to the standard that we set for ourselves here in the City of Washington.

The biggest problem that home construction and associated activities creates is silt and sedimentation leaving the construction site. This is done by erosion during rain events and by tracking mud into the streets.

Our ordinance requires that anyone who conducts any ground disturbing activity, no matter the amount, must follow certain basic guidelines, in order to prevent silt and sediment from leaving the construction there are five basic practices:

1. Install appropriate perimeter protection around the site, e.g. silt fence properly installed.
2. Install and maintain a construction site entrance at every point of entrance used during construction. This means 6 inches of #2 stone.
3. Minimize the amount of land disturbing activity as much as possible.
4. If sediment is washed or tracked into the street clean it up immediately.
5. Repair any damaged areas on the site and permanently or temporarily seed as soon as possible.

I have seen in the past that there a few items that continue to create most of the problems we have with erosion and sediment leaving construction sites within the city.

1. Improperly installed silt fence. Wrap joints and bury the bottom of the fence.
2. Improperly maintained silt fence. After rain events remove excess silt and repair torn fence and fence that is lying down.
3. Improperly constructed construction site entrances or not using the entrances. This causes the problem of tracking.
4. Lack of temporary seeding. Ground that lies idle for 15 days must be seeded and this would eliminate most of the erosion right at the source.

If you are responsible for erosion and sediment control and storm water management at a permitted construction site (more than one acre) or non-permitted construction site (less than one acre) the City of Washington has ordinances (TITLE V chapter 53 section 53.53) page 84 in place to help with these requirements. You can view the City of Washington’s ordinances online at our website at washingtonin.us or we will be happy to provide with this information. If you have any questions or need additional information give us a call.

Building Commissioner - Don Williams 
(812) 254-8208

City Engineer - Ed Barnett P.E. L.S.
(812) 254-5171

Storm Water Superintendent - D. Scott Rainey
(812) 254- 2792

Thank you,

D. Scott Rainey, Storm Water Superintendent