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10 Stormwater Conferences Worth the Flight
As quarter one comes to an end, the stormwater conference season is well underway. With that in mind, make sure exhibitions and expos have a priority on this year’s calendar. Stormwater conferences are the strongest investments in establishing new and improved ways to protect water, our most valuable resource. Industry conferences consist of training, networking, scouting competitors, industry trends, and discovering compliance strategies.
EPA Inspection: How to Compli
The Clean Water Actand the Safe Drinking Water Act are the two primary laws regulating pollutant discharges into the waters of the United States. Of those two laws, the Clean Water Act gave the EPA the authority to implement pollution control programs and set standards related to water cleanliness. Compliance monitoring is one of the principal ways the EPA ensures that the regulated community obeys the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Act, among other laws and regulations.
5 Common Violations observed by CloudCompli Users
In California, the Stormwater Multi-Application, Reporting and Tracking System (SMARTS) issue the Industrial Stormwater General Permit (IGP) and the Construction Stormwater General Permit (CGP) in accordance with the EPA’s National Discharge Elimination System Permits (NPDES). Both permits are designed to reduce pollution entering into stormwater runoff. Failure to obtain the required permit as well as unpermitted discharges are two obvious and direct violations, but other violation of state stormwater permits may be less obvious.
Advantages to Cloud Computing for Stormwater Professionals
Organizations from small environmental consulting companies to cities managing large MS4 programs are turning to cloud computing services because of its many benefits. The reasons for moving to the cloud are numerous; here are a few advantages we think you should consider:
GIS Isn’t Enough. Municipalities Benefit from Interactive Mapping
Walk into any building owned by a local municipal government and not far from the official seal, you’ll undoubtedly see a map hanging on the wall. Thick black boundary lines mark the limit of the local government’s political control and responsibility. The map’s prominent presentation is not out of a sense of pride, but rather to help meet the informational needs of local leaders which revolve almost entirely around geographic locations.
The way ahead for CloudCompli: Data Analytics
Data is often touted as the key to solving big problems. But data is only useful if it validates a hypothesis which and support steps towards a viable solution. The key to this three stage paradigm is converting data into information that is useful to decision makers. Conversion means analysis. Since data analysis, rather than data alone, is the real key to solving big problems, what does it mean in terms of maintaining a clean environment? The process begins with collecting raw data, but then what?
8 Essential Elements of Environmental Compliance Software
When searching for an environmental compliance software solution, it is important to identify elements that deliver the most return on investment for time, money, and efficiency. Even though compliance regulations vary between industries, the overall characteristics of the core essentials are the same. So, if you are in the market for a compliance software, these are the top eight elements you should look for:
6 Advantages of Working with a SaaS Company
Software products were initially sold on the market by bundling them with hardware products. This bundling approach quickly led to antitrust issues and forced a change in the distribution method. Eventually, “floppy disks” and CDs were used to distribute software, independent of the computers themselves. However, when sold on disks, software became subject to piracy which forced a second significant change to the software industry.
To Build or to Buy – That is the Question
Many of the decisions business managers face center on the employment of three finite resources: people, time and money. Business owners and managers are always trying to determine the best combination of these three key ingredients when making their “secret sauce” a.k.a. their competitive advantage. Managers know that all the capital in the world can be squandered without the right tools and talent. The same can be said for tools and talent if you lack the time to invest in a project. Would you prefer to occupy a building hastily constructed, or one where each brick was laid with care and precision?
Environmental Consultants Achieve Efficiency through Innovation
Sometimes it’s fun to reminisce. I can remember when environmental compliance inspections were completed with pen and paper. I bet eight-out-of-ten people today don’t even know what “carbon-copy” paper is, let alone ever used it. But there I was, pressing hard against my clipboard with a ballpoint pen hoping the bottom sheet of my carbon-copy inspection form would be legible. Back at the office, I’d spend precious time sorting through the pictures I took in the field, trying to recall which photo matched with the dozens of work-site deficiency I annotated. And the woes of the annual inspection!
Dealing with the Uncertainty of Weather
Military strategist and U.S. Air Force Colonel John Boyd is famous for developing a decision-making process used when facing uncertainty and ambiguity. The four-step decision-making cycle of Observe Orient Decide and Act is simply referred to as the OODA Loop. The ability to cycle through these four decision-making steps faster than the situation unfolds increases the chances of a favorable outcome.
The Internet of Things in the Compliance Ecosystem
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the trendy term referring to the interconnectedness of commonplace items, beyond just our tablets, phones and computers. Soon, our refrigerators will text us to tell us we are out of milk; our garage doors will know when nobody is home and close themselves; our washer machines will reorder laundry detergent when we start to run low.
Brace Yourself: The Drones are Coming
Drones are becoming ubiquitous in daily life, particularly because of new Federal Aviation Administration rules that allow for their commercial use. One such application where drones are delivering tremendous value is to construction sites. No matter how big or small, a construction site is an incredibly dynamic environment and drones are becoming increasingly important tools for managing site activity.
2017’s Top 3 Tablets for Inspections
The stormwater inspection process has historically been driven by the production of paper forms and hard copy reports. This paper-driven process costs stormwater site inspections valuable time at the inspection site and negatively impacts the quality and quantity of the collected data. With the use of mobile tablets on construction sites, a site inspector can efficiently collect data while reducing the amount of time spent at a given site.
The Benefits of Stormwater Harvesting
If you’ve been following this blog, you’ll understand why it’s so important to have an effective stormwater management plan in place. We’ve talked at length about the drawbacks of stormwater to the environment, but what about its benefits?
6 Water Conferences To Start 2017
With the new year underway, it is important to create new business goals and set forth a clear path to achieve them. With that in mind, make sure you keep an eye out for event/expos that will establish new and improved ways to protect our most valuable resource. With the vast amount of conferences in…
Stormwater Management Software Explained
Unless you have already needed to facilitate it, the term “stormwater management” is likely to be a little confusing the first time you hear it. What does it mean? And how is it important to you?
Stormwater management is a part of stormwater compliance. This is a responsibility by law of municipalities and certain other entities such as farms, and to be permitted to discharge any stormwater from your premises you need to have an active, effective, and up to date stormwater management plan.
The Role of Plants in Stormwater Management
There are numerous different ways of designing a stormwater management plan, and one of these may include the use of plants to improve stormwater treatment.
Plants and trees not only provide visual appeal and generate fresh oxygen; they also play an important role in the treatment of stormwater. Plants and trees are living organisms and they can help to mitigate pollution loads that discharge from a stormwater drainage area.
How Can Stormwater Inspection Software be Beneficial?
Stormwater management is critical for municipalities and it is much easier to achieve accurately when you use stormwater inspection software.
How can a CloudCompli stormwater app help in maintaining stormwater compliance?
What Can Individuals do to Prevent Stormwater Pollution?
As we know, all commercial and industrial interests need to have a stormwater management plan to mitigate the impact of stormwater runoff from their premises. But there is a lot individuals can do too, to play their own part in reducing the impact of stormwater pollution, right in their own back yard.
Construction Sites: Common Stormwater Compliance Issues
Stormwater inspections must be carried out periodically in all construction sites, both large and small. There are a number of common stormwater compliance problems identified during stormwater management inspections, and these that follow are particularly common in small-scale construction sites.
Stormwater Inspections – What’s Involved?
If you run a construction business, stormwater management is a crucial consideration for you, and stormwater inspections will need to be carried out on a regular basis. But exactly what is involved in stormwater inspections?
According to California State Law, owners and operators of construction enterprises need to obtain permits and have in place a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP). Part of obtaining this and complying with regulations involves having regular stormwater inspections.
The Stormwater System – Overcoming Drought?
Stormwater management in California is a crucial part of protecting the environment and the water supply from pollutants. Stormwater can be a real nuisance in so many ways. Yet in one of the nation’s driest states, stormwater could also represent an innovative way to overcome challenges faced by residents of California as a result of the droughts we so commonly deal with.
MS4 Permits – Explained
You’ve heard the term “MS4 Permit”. But do you know what it means?
Each state within the USA has its own regulations relating to storm water management. California has, for twenty years, regulated the runoff and treatment of stormwater in its industrial and municipal sources. Urban storm water in California is considered to be a primary impairment source for ten percent of all local rivers, lakes and reservoirs, and almost twenty percent of all estuaries (source: 2010 Integrated Report). This is high considering only six percent of all California’s land mass is urbanized.
From Point Source Data to Systemic Understanding
The stormwater industry collects substantial amounts of point source data to comply with NPDES permits. Operators of construction sites and industrial facilities perform regular inspections, each providing a snapshot of conditions at some discrete point in time. MS4s do this for each facility, as well as monitor outfalls and receiving waters, log street sweeping activities,…
El Nino 2015 – When it Rains, It Pours
As we transition into the rainy season, there is a tremendous amount of speculation on the potential impact of the current El Nino weather event. Some are even calling this the “Godzilla” of El Ninos, predicting it to be one of the strongest on record. Those of us who deal directly with stormwater compliance are…
CloudCompli at LAX
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is currently undergoing a multi-billion dollar renovation and modification, overseen by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). This LAX development program consists of multiple projects, carried out by many contractors and development firms, spanning a period of several years. Due to its ambitious scope and high visibility, environmental protection is crucial to…
Cloudcompli.com New Features Update
Hello everyone, and welcome to the first new features blog post for Cloudcompli.com! We here at Cloudcompli are constantly working to improve our platform, which means that every week we are rolling out improvements, optimizations, and new features to help you stay in compliance. However, we realize that it may be a bit confusing for…
The Case for Digitization
Digitization is a common goal of nearly every industry. The primary drivers for it include remote access, ease of sharing, secure archival, simplified searching and waste reduction. Construction and industrial operators are as interested in these benefits as anyone else, yet adoption has occurred more slowly than in other sectors. When asked about the lack of adoption,…
CloudCompli Launches Groundbreaking Industrial Stormwater Compliance Application
Laguna Hills, CA (PRWEB) June 24, 2015 With new California stormwater regulations taking effect July 1st, affected firms and industry consultants are busy preparing for the sweeping changes by boosting compliance staff and updating infrastructure. Anticipating these changes, California-based software company CloudCompli recently released the latest module in its suite of stormwater compliance tools, developed…
Mobile Compliance Inspections: Left To Your Own Devices
As we move deeper into the era of paperless compliance, more processes and workflows are transitioning from the age-old paper and clipboard method to cutting-edge mobile devices. This means that our livelihoods have become more dependent on these hand-held wonders, which makes it very important to carry a mobile device that can handle our everyday…
Instrumenting and Automating Weather Monitoring… And More
Weather monitoring sits at the center of stormwater compliance. Every day, inspectors consult forecasts to determine if pre-storm activities are needed. Once rain begins, this burden shifts as inspectors travel to the site to consult rain gauges and other instrumentation that guide during- and post- storm activities. But it doesn’t have to be this way.…
Monitoring The Weather With Technology: A Bright Forecast
In my stormwater training courses, one question always seems to come up: what is the appropriate level of weather monitoring that must be performed on construction or industrial sites to stay in compliance with stormwater regulations? The answer—weather must be checked on a daily basis—is often met with consternation. I empathize with this reaction because…
CloudCompli at the Nasa/JPL West Arroyo Parking Structure
The innovative Cloudcompli system was recently deployed to help manage stormwater compliance during construction of the West Arroyo Parking Structure at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Operators of construction sites face two major weather-related compliance challenges. First, site operators are required to gather weather reports each day from NOAA.GOV and then use that…