Learn About the Requirements to Deal With Stormwater Quality

Our Principal, Jim Toby, presented to AIA San Mateo last week on “Working With a Civil Engineer.” Members of AIA San Mateo came to hear Jim speak on the role of the civil engineer and their responsibilities in a construction project. Jim also included an introduction to the upcoming requirement changes regarding stormwater quality that will affect residential sites.
Here are some highlights of the presentation:
- Jim spoke on the importance of a good engineer who goes beyond just “getting a permit” and how they can affect the overall quality of functionality of the project.
- An introduction to regulations that will affect single family residences was presented. For a long time, most single family residential projects required a way of dealing with storm water runoff quantities, mainly through the use of a retention/detention system. Coming very shortly will be the introduction of the requirements to deal with Storm Water Quality. This would mainly require the addition of a bioswale on most projects.
- Jim explained in detail the role of the civil engineer. He stressed the importance of hiring a civil engineer at the beginning of project. Civil engineers can assist with early land planning such as jurisdictional specific requirements, planning for newly required storm drain elements or septic that can take up valuable real estate on your project. A civil engineer’s early involvement can help to eliminate surprises and can also help the client determine if the project fits or doesn’t fit due to land specific requirements.
To learn more about the role of a civil engineer, check out our Services page.



