Permanent Water Quality Program

Program Description

To prevent pollution and degradation of State Waters from roadway pollutants, CDOT’s MS4 Permit requires the installation of Permanent Water Quality (PWQ) Control Measures (CMs) that are selected, designed, installed, implemented, and maintained using good engineering, hydrologic and pollution control practices. CDOT’s Permanent Water Quality Program guides design standards, long-term operation and maintenance plans, and supports watershed-wide water quality protection through the Mitigation Pool Fund. 

Please use the following steps in Planning, Design, Construction, and Maintenance phases for projects installing permanent water quality features.

Contact CDOT Headquarters PWQ Program Manager @ [email protected] with questions about PWQ Program requirements or to request documents.

Planning

  1. Complete PWQ Form and email to PWQ Program Manager @ [email protected].
  2. Review PWQ Checklist for milestones, deliverables, and participants.  
  3. Assess:
    1. If existing PWQ CMs are in the project area.
    2. Local agency participation and responsibilities.
    3. Right of Way (ROW) needed to install PWQ CMs.
  4. Complete Generic Scope of Work sections 3, 6, 7, 8, & 9 for Design Consultant.  
    1. Budget for Design Consultant to complete:
      1. Operations & Maintenance Plan
      2. Stormwater Detention and Infiltration Facility Notification (if applicable)
      3. Pond Information Certification in Construction Phase (if applicable)
  5. Apply for PWQ Pool funding for Design work. Use Cost Estimate & Treatment Estimate Tables.
  6. Begin PWQ Maintenance Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with local agency (if applicable)
    1. CDOT staff contacts Local Agency, Railroad & Utility (LARU) Contracts Manager, Engineering Contracts Services.
    2. A PWQ Maintenance IGA must be executed prior to the project going to Advertisement
    3. To start the process, create a $0 shopping cart, and submit:
      1. An IGA Request Form
      2. Purchasing Approval Routing Sheet (PARS)
      3. Scope of Work outlining the parties responsibilities
      4. Map depicting the area
    4. Operations & Maintenance Plan shall include as-built survey information per Specification 625.04 (2024)/Specification 208.10(b) (2023). 

Design

  1. Modify PWQ Form, if necessary.
  2. Use Chapter 16 – PWQ in CDOT's Drainage Design Manual for guidance on design standards.
  3. Apply for PWQ Pool funding for Design work if necessary. Use Cost Estimate & Treatment Estimate Tables.
  4. Design Engineer or Project Manager completes PWQ Checklist (top portion and items 1-9). Use Checklist Guidance. 
  5. Complete Generic Scope of Work in Request for Proposal, sections 3, 6, 7, 8, & 9.
    1. CDOT staff contacts Engineering Contracts Program Manager, Contracts and Market Analysis Branch
    2. If not included in Design Contract, please budget for Design Consultant to complete
      1. Operations & Maintenance Plan
      2. Pond Information Certification in Construction Phase (for CMs designed using Water Quality Capture Volume). 
      3. Construction Contractor shall perform PWQ CM as-built survey per Specification 625.04 (2024 Standards & Specs Book).
  6. Review Archived Water Quality Report Template for general information needed on PWQ CMs.
  7. Hold interim PWQ Meeting if necessary to discuss:
    1. Design progress and/or concerns
    2. PWQ Maintenance IGA
    3. PWQ Pool or Other CDOT Budget funding for C-Phase
  8. Submit PWQ Pool funding request and backup paperwork for C-Phase, ROW, or environmental clearances if needed. Use Cost Estimate & Treatment Estimate Tables and email to [email protected].
  9. Create C-Phase expenditure tracking in AASHTOWare Project/Trns*port Accessories for PWQ Pool and Other CDOT Budgets
    1. CDOT staff contacts Construction Systems Support Manager, CE/ Data Program, and Project Analysis
    2. Training video (begin at minute 3:51).
    3. Summary of Approximate Quantities will reflect all materials and activities necessary to build a PWQ CM that functions as designed.
    4. Contact PWQ Program & PWQ Pool Manager [email protected] regarding eligible expenses.
  10. PWQ Maintenance IGA must be executed prior to Advertisement
    1. CDOT staff shall contact Local Agency, Railroad & Utility (LARU) Contracts Manager, Engineering Contracts Services
    2. CDOT staff shall create a $0 shopping cart and submit:
      1. An IGA Request Form
      2. Purchasing Approval Routing Sheet (PARS)
      3. Scope of Work outlining the parties responsibilities
      4. Map depicting the area
  11. Begin Operations & Maintenance Plan  
    1. Example O&M Plan 
    2. Example O&M Plan Notes
    3. O&M Plan Development Guidance
  12. Transfer responsibility of PWQ Checklist to PE
    1. Design Engineer & CDOT team to host PWQ Checklist Handoff Meeting with Project Engineer

Construction

  1. PE accepts responsibility for PWQ Checklist and completes items 9-19.
  2. Environmental Preconstruction Meeting: discuss PWQ-specific construction items
  3. Utilize Design Consultant to advise on any changes during C-Phase
  4. PWQ Program Managers may ask to visit the active construction site when PWQ CMs are installed. This will allow us to determine where in C-Phase the PWQ Program can create guidance or Specs to support the project.
  5. Specification 625.04 (2024 Standards & Specs Book, Spec 208.10(b) in 2023 Standards & Spec Book) - PWQ Survey shall be completed prior to pre-acceptance walkthrough
  6. PE submits 625.04 (2024 Standards & Specs Book) PWQ Survey deliverables with CDOT Project Engineer Certification to Hydraulic Engineer for review.
  7. Hydraulic Engineer completes review and signs/stamps Hydraulic Engineer Pond Information Certification (for CMs designed with WQCV standard) 
  8. Region staff enters WQCV information in CRS §37-92-602(8) compliance portal
  9. Draft Operations & Maintenance Plan review by PWQ Program Managers and applicable Maintenance staff prior to pre-acceptance walkthrough.  
  10. PE schedules pre-acceptance walkthrough (prior to the PWQ Program collecting the CM points to add to the inventory) with HQ PWQ Program Managers.
    1. Operations & Maintenance Plan should be near completion and available for review during the pre-acceptance walkthrough. This allows the project, Maintenance, and PWQ teams to identify any changes that are not reflected in the design plans, potentially before the Contractor has demobilized.
    2. Any items noted in the pre-acceptance walk shall be resolved prior to the acceptance walkthrough.
  11. PE schedules PWQ acceptance walkthrough.
    1. Attendees include Local Agency Maintenance (if applicable), CDOT Maintenance if applicable, and PWQ Program Managers.
    2. PWQ Program Managers will use Operations & Maintenance Plan to walk the site with attendees, and ask if Maintenance access and instructions are clear for those who will maintain. 
    3. PWQ Program Managers conduct the first inspection of the facilities and add them to CDOT's PWQ inventory.
  12. PWQ Checklist PE & Maintenance complete items 19 & 20.

Maintenance

  1. Maintain PWQ features as frequently as identified in O&M Plan, so they function as designed.
  2. PWQ Program Managers will conduct compliance inspections once every permit term (about 5 years).
      1. Maintenance or design findings are shared with Local Agency Maintenance (if applicable), CDOT Maintenance, Region Water Quality Specialists, and other staff as appropriate.
      2. Maintenance findings shall be addressed within 6 months of notification, per CDOT's MS4 Permit and the PWQ Maintenance IGA.