What can I expect from a stormwater inspection?

Do you use an inspection company to perform your stormwater inspections or do you rely on one of your employees? If you have previously kept this function in house you might be wondering if using a third party inspector is much different. Have you been missing anything? What are the benefits to a third party inspector? What are your expectations for a stormwater inspection?

What to expect from a basic inspection.

At its core a comprehensive inspection will have the following components:

• Observation of the entire site perimeter and all Best Management Practices
• Detailed report of any corrective action items noted
• Review of past inspection reports for unresolved items
• Review and update of the Stormwater Management Plan to ensure site conditions are consistent with the SWMP

But this description of tasks misses some of the qualities needed to create the real value of an inspection. The core purpose of an inspection is to answer the question “is this site in compliance with its permit and SWMP”? The answer to this question may be more complex than it appears. An inspector who is in a rush to complete the assignment and who lacks broad experience may be tempted to give a pass to a site that could, in fact, use some help.

Summit’s recommendation is to use one of our experienced and dedicated inspectors. Since stormwater inspections are our primary service, every one of our inspectors completes hundreds of inspections each year.

What to expect from a Summit stormwater inspection.

We know this sounds self-serving, so we offer the following perspectives to support the idea of using a third party inspector who has the experience of conducting hundreds a year, or even thousands of inspections in a career. Why Summit?

1. We’ve run into dozens of the most common compliance failures and know what to do about it.
2. We see new products and services and can observe how they function so you benefit from our experience.
3. Our inspectors can quickly “read” the site and are able to recommend the most cost effective responses to BMP failures or paperwork shortfalls.
4. Our team attends almost two dozen State of Colorado audits per year, guiding our client projects through the process calmly and effectively.
5. With 15 full time inspectors in Colorado, you can be assured we have a backup available for every inspection and will not miss any of your inspection deadlines.
6. Fifteen inspectors, each doing hundreds of inspections a year means that we’ve operated in the cities and counties where growth is happening and know the local requirements, too.
7. Because stormwater is our core service, we don’t have the same distractions your employees do. Our only job is to perform the inspections, handle the paperwork, and educate your team about next steps.
8. Our inspectors pursue certifications, meet with regulators, and share ideas with their co-workers so that they stay on top of their game.
9. Using a third party inspector frees up time to manage your project priorities.
10. Less stress! Rely on our experience and expertise to guide your project through the complexity of stormwater management without stress.

To explore how our skills can help you achieve your project goals, use the contact form to start a discussion now. At a minimum, it will put some time back on your calendar, but it will also allow you avoid regulatory hassles, make cost effective decisions about compliance, and de-stress your stormwater management program. Let’s talk.