CESSWI Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping 3

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of a non-stormwater discharge that is typically AUTHORIZED under NPDES Construction General Permits without additional permitting?

Accepted Answer

Uncontaminated groundwater pumped from excavations and dewatered to a vegetated area

Answer

Concrete washout water discharged directly to a nearby stream

Answer

Vehicle wash water containing soaps and detergents discharged to a drainage channel

Answer

Sanitary wastewater from portable toilets discharged to the site perimeter

Question 2

A construction inspector notices bags of fertilizer stockpiled in the open with no cover during the rainy season. What is the primary pollution concern?

Accepted Answer

Nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) leaching into stormwater and causing eutrophication

Answer

Fertilizer dust causing air quality violations under Clean Air Act standards

Answer

Heavy metals in fertilizer bags contaminating underlying soil permanently

Answer

Fire hazard from oxidizing agents in certain fertilizer compounds

Question 3

What does 'good housekeeping' mean in the context of NPDES stormwater permits for construction sites?

Accepted Answer

Implementing routine operational practices that minimize pollutant sources and pathways to stormwater

Answer

Maintaining clean and organized office trailers and break rooms for worker morale

Answer

Sweeping only interior building floors to prevent dust generation during dry weather

Answer

Keeping construction tools cleaned and stored in locked containers after each shift

Question 4

How should liquid chemical containers (such as paint cans or solvent drums) be handled at the end of a construction day to minimize stormwater pollution risk?

Accepted Answer

Closed with lids tightly secured and stored in covered, secondary containment areas

Answer

Left open to allow vapors to fully evaporate overnight

Answer

Rinsed with water and the rinse water discharged to the nearest vegetated buffer

Answer

Stacked without lids near the site boundary for next-day pickup

Question 5

During a CESSWI inspection, you observe that construction workers are washing concrete trucks on an unpaved area of the site without any washout containment. Which regulatory requirement does this MOST directly violate?

Accepted Answer

NPDES permit prohibition on uncontrolled concrete washout discharges

Answer

OSHA worker safety standards for wet work conditions

Answer

DOT regulations governing commercial vehicle maintenance on active roadways

Answer

EPA air quality standards for particulate matter from concrete dust

Question 6

Which of the following is the MOST effective way to prevent dust generated by construction activities from becoming a stormwater pollutant?

Accepted Answer

Apply water spraying to suppress dust before and during activities that generate it

Answer

Install silt fences around the perimeter of the site at standard intervals

Answer

Compact all disturbed soil surfaces immediately after grading operations

Answer

Install sediment basins at all low points on the construction site

Question 7

Under a typical NPDES Construction General Permit, how often must pollution prevention and good housekeeping measures be inspected during the active construction phase?

Accepted Answer

At least every 14 calendar days and within 24 hours of a 0.5-inch or greater storm event

Answer

Only after significant storm events, defined as greater than 1 inch of rainfall in 24 hours

Answer

Once per month by a registered professional engineer of record

Answer

Daily by the site superintendent with no required documentation