Hazardous Material Spill Prevention
The CRWP has identified hazardous materials spills as being a high-risk factor that could affect drinking water quality in the Clackamas River watershed. Potential spills from commercial and industrial areas, railroad lines, transportation activities along I-205, HWY 26 (crosses North Fork of Deep Creek near the junction of HWY 26 and 212), HWY 211 and HWY 212/224, and road bridges crossing the Clackamas River are of particular concern.
To address this potential threat, the Clackamas River Water Providers (CRWP) has been actively working on a two-pronged approach to prepare for the possibility of a hazardous material spill within our watershed.
The first prong involves close coordination with key agencies including Water Environment Services, Clackamas Fire District #1, Clackamas Disaster Management, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other local first responders. This collaboration aims to better understand the risks associated with hazardous materials that are stored or transported throughout the watershed and the Clackamas Industrial Area—particularly due to their proximity to CRWP drinking water treatment plants.
The second prong of CRWP’s approach focuses on prevention. We continue to partner with the Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC)—a respected nonprofit and one of the Northwest’s leading sources of high-quality, unbiased pollution prevention information—to support the implementation of our Hazardous Material Spill Prevention Program.
This program provides both technical and financial assistance to businesses located within the Clackamas Industrial Area, helping them adopt best practices for spill prevention and reduce the risk of hazardous material incidents that could impact our drinking water sources.
Hazardous Materials Spill Prevention Program
The Clackamas Industrial Area is an area of particular concern. This is because many of the businesses in the industrial area are less than a quarter of a mile away from the Clackamas and due to the fact that there are a large number of stormwater drains as well as four small tributary creeks (Rock, Sieben, Carli, and Cow Creeks) that drain the Industrial Area. These stormdrains outfalls and tributaries enter the river just upstream of four drinking water intake which combined provide drinking water to over 300,000 people in Clackamas and Washington Counties. Therefore when chemicals spill on a property or street, it can travel quickly to the river.
In 2016 the CRWP received a State Revolving Fund Drinking Water Protection Grant to develop outreach materials and technical assistance programs for industrial customers in this area around hazardous material spill prevention. See what the CRWP and the Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC) accomplished this past year CRWP Final Report 24-25 Final.
Find out how your business can particpate by scrolling through the information below.
Outreach Materials
Want to know more about how spill prevention can help protect our drinking water source? Read the drinking water protection brochure. The CRWP also has free Spill Response signs and Stormdrain makers available for any business in the Clackamas Industrial area.
Spill Response Sign
CRWP Brochure
Storm Drain Markers
The Clackamas River Water Providers (CRWP) offers free technical assistance to businesses located in the Clackamas River watershed.
Free Technical Assistance and Tools
Facility Site Visits
These free facility site visits will help you identify environmental best practices, assist with spill response plans, and identify secondary containment options. Facilities interested in receiving free spill prevention tools and secondary containment systems must complete a free facility site visit to identify the best options for your facility. You can also fill out the Facility Site Checklist online and submit it electronically. We will review the form and provide you back with recommendations on stormwater best management practices, spill prevention measures, and send you the spill prevention tools you indicated that you wanted. Go HERE to fill out the fillable online form or click on the following link to download a pdf of the checklist. Facility Inspection Checklist
Free Spill Prevention Tools
What is covered? Purchase and/or installation of secondary containment equipment. Equipment may include spill pallets, double-walled tanks, repairs to floor drains, installation of shut-off valves, and construction of berms and waste cover. The CRWP is also offering free spill kits to every facility within the Clackamas Industrial area.
You have two options: 1) Our technical assistance provider will purchase appropriate spill tools and deliver them to your business, or 2) CRWP will reimburse repair work, constructed containment projects, and updates that prevent pollution and have been completed within the last six (6) months. The CRWP has limited funding each fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) for this program, funding available is first come first served until the funds have been depleted for the fiscal year.
Free Spill Prevention Tools
Download this 30-minute presentation and give it yourself or have us come do it for you at a staff meeting or safety meeting. We can also give this presentation remotely via Zoom or another online meeting platform. Spill-Prevention-Training 2020
Training Videos
This 16 minute video by Excal Visual shows employees at industrial and industrial-type government facilities the latest Stormwater Pollution Prevention techniques. Good housekeeping, Materials management, Spill prevention. Maintenance, and small spill clean-up are discussed.
This video by Excal Visual is designed to help train non-HAZWOPER employees on dealing with a hazardous material (or hazardous waste) spill, leak or release. What to do if you discover a hazmat release? How to determine if a release requires HAZWOPER-trained responders.
Spill Prevention & Secondary Containment
Learn and review best management practices in Spill Prevention & Secondary Containment at your business. What PPE do you wear? What chemicals do you use and store at your shop? Do your staff have any training in responding to and cleaning up spills? How can we ensure that our choices are safe for the community and the environment?) Watch this short training video produced by the Pollution Prevention Resource Center and EcoBiz to find out!
Proper Use & Storage of Indoor/Outdoor Materials & Waste Stream
Learn and review best management practices in the Proper Use & Storage of Indoor/Outdoor Materials & Waste Streams at your business. What materials do you store inside and outside? What do you cover your outside materials with or do you cover them at all? Where does your storm water end up? How can we ensure that our choices are safe for the community and the environment? Watch this short training video produced by the Pollution Reduction Resource Center and EcoBiz to find out!
Questions?
If you are not sure if your business is located within the watershed or in the Clackamas Industrial Area, or if you want to learn more about how to receive the free technical assistance email [email protected] or call 503-723-3510.
Other Spill Prevention Resources
Clackamas County’s report sewer or stormwater problems or concerns, such as a sewer spill or illegal dumping to a storm drain. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911. For non-emergency reporting, call 503-742-4567.
DEQ Hazardous Materials Technical Assistance:
https://www.oregon.gov/deq/Hazards-and-Cleanup/hw/Pages/Technical-Assistance.aspx
DEQ hazardous waste regulations, annual reporting requirements and technical assistance for businesses and other organizations that produce and manage hazardous waste.
https://www.oregon.gov/deq/Hazards-and-Cleanup/hw/Pages/HW-Management.aspx
DEQ Stormwater Discharge Permits for construction, industrial activities and municipalities.
https://www.oregon.gov/deq/wq/wqpermits/Pages/Stormwater.aspx
DEQ additional information on industrial “1200-Z” stormwater discharge permits https://www.oregon.gov/deq/wq/wqpermits/Pages/Stormwater-Industrial.aspx
Learn more about where your business can dispose of hazardous waste by checking out the following webpages: Clackamas County Hazardous Waste or Metro’s Garbage, Recycling and Hazardous Waste Disposal
Learn more about Safer Choice which helps consumers, businesses, and purchasers find products that perform and contain ingredients that are safer for human health and the environment. Safer Choice is an EPA Pollution Prevention (P2) program and includes practices that reduce, eliminate, or prevent pollution at its source, such as using safer ingredients in products.
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