irginia stormwater management program permit … · 2020-06-18 · through june 30, 2014 as well as...

NORTHERN VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM: 2013-2014 ANNUAL REPORT

PERMIT NO. VAR040095

VIRGINIA STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM PERMIT REQUIREMENTS The following report details the status of the Northern Virginia Community College’s (NVCC’s) Stormwater Management Program for the 2013 – 2014 permit year. In accordance with the NVCC’s VPDES General Permit for Small MS4s (Permit), the college must “…develop, implement, and enforce a stormwater management program designed to reduce the discharge of pollutants from the MS4 for the maximum extent practicable...” The stormwater management program must include the minimum control measures described in the permit as:

Public Education and Outreach on Stormwater Impacts Public Involvement/Participation Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control Post-Construction Stormwater Management Pollution Prevent/Good Housekeeping

Questions or concerns regarding this document or the recommended actions within should be directed to:

Daniel Wells, P.E Acting Director, Facilities Planning and Support Services 8333 Little River Turnpike Annandale, Va. 22003-3796 Office: (703) 323-3065

NVCC STORMWATER MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT The following summarizes the compliance activities completed by NVCC from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014 as well as the planned activities for the 2014 - 2015 permit year. This report was structured to follow the Annual Report requirements found in Section II E.3 of the Permit, and provides a summary of activities for the Annandale, Alexandria, Loudoun and Woodbridge campuses. The following Attachments are included as part of this report:

Attachment A: Activities for each of the six minimum control measures

Attachment B: Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners Documentation Attachment C: Inspector Certifications

Attachment D: Example Monthly Inspection Report

Attachment E: BMP Database

Attachment F: New MS4 Outfall Data

BACKGROUND INFORMATION (SECTION II.E.3.a)

(1) Name and Permit Number

VAR040095 – Virginia General Permit for Discharges from Small MS4

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NVCC 2013-2014 MS4 ANNUAL REPORT PERMIT No. V AR040095

(2) Annual Report Permit Year

2013-2014

(3) Modifications to any operator's department's roles and responsibilities

NVCC has a new Acting Director during the permit year. The new Acting Director's information is provided on page 1 of this document.

(4) Number of new MS4 outfalls and associated acreage by HUC added during the permit year

Three (3) new MS4 outfalls were added during the permit year at the Woodbridge campus. They are identified as outfall A, E and P in the Attachment F. Their drainage area acreages are 7.7 acres, 4.16 acres and 3.35 acres, respectively.

(5) Signed certification in accordance with 4 V AC 50-60-370

"I certify under penalty of law that this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or persons who manage the system or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the information submitted is to the best of my knowledge and belief true, accurate, and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations."

Print Name: Daniel R. Wells

Title: Acting Director of Facilities Planning and Support Services

Signature: ~w~ Date: October I, 2014

STATUS OF COMPLIANCE WITH PERMIT CONDITIONS (SECTION 11.E.3.b)

NVCC is complying with all conditions of the Small MS4 Stormwater permit. Refer to the Attachment A for progress towards achieving the identified measurable goals. The worksheets included in Attachment A provide an inventory of the current stormwater program and details the actions that must be taken to remain in compliance with the College's MS4 permit. The column "Current Programs in Place'' tabulates the campus' current stormwater programs. Note that an evaluation of "Yes" means that the control measure and all subsequent requirements are fully implemented at the campus, while "Ongoing" means that the measure is currently implemented, but only partially satisfies the permitting requirement at this time. The College is actively working towards completion of the implementation process.

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NVCC 2013-2014 MS4 ANNUAL REPORT PERMIT NO. VAR040095

RESULTS OF INFORMATION COLLECTED AND ANALYZED (SECTION II.E.3.c)

The following summarizes activities performed for each of the six Minimum Control Measures (MCM) for the College during the permit year. The activities are included in Attachment A.

Public Education and Outreach on Stormwater Impacts: o Stormwater awareness information is provided on the NOVA website

(www.nvcc.edu/swim), including the Stormwater fact sheet, EPA guidelines for non-point source pollution, information on the stormwater management regulations, and general information on stormwater related issues.

o Stormwater awareness information is provided in the Student Handbook & distributed to all new students.

o NVCC increased stormwater awareness by installing posters and storm drain markers.

o NVCC has joined the Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners to combine resources in order to meet the regulation requirements for this MCM. The summary and additional reporting materials are provided in Attachment B.

o NVCC hosted a Watershed Workshop open to the public in order to increase awareness of the importance of cooperation between communities, business and individuals to improve and preserve the health of our watersheds and promote sustainable practices.

Public Involvement/Participation: o No updates to the Public Involvement/Participation minimum control measure

were made during the permit year. o NVCC updated the Stormwater Management website to the current General

Stormwater Discharge Permit, MS4 Annual Report, MS4 Stormwater Program, training materials and contact information for public comments and/or reporting.

o NVCC did not receive any public comments regarding the permit year’s Annual Report, or the MS4 Program.

o NVCC had an Earth Week in which the public was invited to attend five environmentally focused movies, Green Festival, Climate Change Symposium, ECO-Art Event, Green Town Hall and Environmental Film Festival where the public participated in various activities.

o Stormwater awareness posters were posted by students to educate campus users on their role in preventing stormwater pollution prevention.

o Storm drain markers were installed by students to help prevent illicit discharges. o Students, staff and faculty installed plants for a bioretention facility and learned

about the design, purpose and implementation of bioretention facilities.

Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination: o NVCC has updated site and utility plans based on new construction performed

during the permit year. o Monthly inspections were performed and all monitoring records are maintained in

the Facilities Planning and Support Services Department. o No illicit discharges were identified during the permit year. o NVCC has added an Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program Manual

to meet the next permit year’s requirements.

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www.nvcc.edu/swim

NVCC

2013-2014 MS4 ANNUAL REPORT PERMIT NO. VAR040095

Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control: o Inspector Certifications: Refer to Attachment C for the inspection certifications. o Refer to Table 1 for a list of land disturbing activities during the permit year.

Post-Construction Stormwater Management: o Refer to Attachment E of this report for permanent BMP database. o NVCC has added a Post-Construction Stormwater Management Facility Program

Manual in order to meet next permit year’s goals.

Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping: o Training material and monthly inlet, outfall, and BMP reports: Stormwater

management training materials are made available to the NVCC Building and Grounds Staff. Monthly reports are kept in the Facility Planning office.

o An example monthly inspection report has been included in Attachment D. o NVCC has added a Good Housekeeping/Pollution Prevention Program Manual in

order to meet next permit year’s goals.

SUMMARY OF STORMWATER ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR 2014-2015 (SECTION II.E.3.d)

NVCC plans to continue to partner with the Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners. NVCC plans to implement the changes to the MS4 Program Manual concerning Good

Housekeeping/Pollution Prevention, Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program Manual and the Post Construction Stormwater Management Facility Program Manual.

Staff will be trained on the new procedures in the MS4 Program Manual. NVCC plans to make improvements to the stormwater website and include the required

updated required documentation on the website. NVCC plans to meet the goals required within 24 months after permit coverage. NVCC plans to continue to include students in the labeling of storm drains and installing

posters at various campuses.

CHANGES IN IDENTIFIED BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OR MEASURABLE GOALS FOR ANY OF THE MINIMUM CONTROL MEASURES INCLUDING STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO ADDRESS ANY DEFICIENCIES (SECTION II.E.3.e)

NVCC has identified needed changes in their Best Management Practices during this permit year in preparation for next year’s permit. NVCC will implement the Best Management Practices set forth in the new permit.

NOTICE THAT THE OPERATOR IS RELYING ON ANOTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITY TO SATISFY SOME OF THE PERMIT OBLIGATIONS (SECTION II.E.3.f)

The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) is the permitting authority for NVCC’s Erosion and Sediment Control Program.

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THE APPROVAL STATUS OF ANY PROGRAMS PURSUANT TO SECTION II.C (IF APPLICABLE), OR THE PROGRESS TOWARDS ACHIEVING FULL APPROVAL OF THESE PROGRAMS (SECTION II.E.3.g)

NVCC received approval of its updated Nutrient Management Plan in July 2012. NVCC did not have any programs pursuant to Section II.C that were awaiting approval during the permit year.

INFORMATION REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION I.B.9 (SECTION II.E.3.h)

(1) Copies of any updates to the MS4 Program Plan completed during the reporting cycle and any new information regarding the TMDL in order to evaluate its ability to assure the consistency of its discharge with the assumptions of the TMDL WLA:

NVCC has revised MS4 Program Plan during the permit year. The Good Housekeeping/Pollution Prevention, Post-Construction Stormwater Management Facility, and Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program Manuals are included in Attachment G.

(2) The estimate of the volume of stormwater discharged, in cubic feet, and the quantity of pollutant identified in the WLA, in a unit consistent with the WLA discharged by the regulated small MS4 for each WLA.

Guidance for the estimation of E. coli loads was unavailable from the TMDL documents reviewed for this annual report, and NVCC did not conduct any stormwater sampling during the permit year. Therefore, an E. coli load could not be estimated to compare to the TMDL wasteload allocation. However, based upon lack of sewer overflows, good housekeeping, and other stormwater quality practices currently employed by the NVCC, we believe that the college’s bacteria load is relatively low, and is not contributing to bacterial impairments.”

NUMBER OF ILLICIT DISCHARGES IDENTIFIED (SECTION II.E.3.i)

There were no illicit discharges observed or reported from the NVCC campuses during the permit year.

REGULATED LAND-DISTURBING ACTIVITIES DATA TRACKED UNDER SECTION II.4.C (SECTION II.E.3.j)

NVCC had eleven (11) land-disturbing activities during the permit year. The total disturbed acreage was approximately 38.51 acres. Table 1 breaks down the amount of disturbed acreage, new impervious surface, and BMPs installed for each campus during the permit year.

All applicable construction permits were obtained, and an erosion/sediment control (ESC) plan as well as a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWP3) were prepared and are on file in the Facilities Planning and Support Services department.

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TABLE 1

Project Name

Amount of Disturbance

(acres)

Amount of New Impervious Surface

(acres) New BMP Installed Annandale CG Lower Plaza 1.04 None None Annandale Brault Building 3.96 .81 Under Construction Alexandria Schlesinger Center Traffic Circle

0.41 None None

Loudoun Phase III 11.50 4.26 (1) Retention Pond Loudoun Logan Way .9 .34 Under Construction Loudoun Culvert Replacement

.18 None None

Loudoun Higher Education Center

3.20 .39 Under Construction

Woodbridge Phase III Building

12.80 5.90 (2) Underground Storm Chamber System (2) Green Roofs Irrigation Cisterns Pervious Pavers

Woodbridge Workforce Development Center

4.12 .35 Under Construction

Woodbridge South Parking Lot

4.55 2.07 Detention Basin

Woodbridge Dam Tree Removal

0.20 None None

Woodbridge Bulkhead Replacement

0.20 None None

LIST OF NEW OR TERMINATED SIGNED AGREEMENTS (SECTION II.E.3.l)

NVCC joined the Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners for the implementation of the Public Education and Outreach on Stormwater Impacts minimum control measures during the permit year.

COPIES OF ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED DURING PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD REGARDING THE MS4 PROGRAM PLAN OR ANY MODIFICATIONS (SECTION II.E.3.m)

NVCC has not received any written comments during a public comment period regarding the MS4 Program Plan during the permit year.

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NORTHERN VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM: 2013-2014 ANNUAL REPORT

PERMIT NO. VAR040095

ATTACHMENT A

MINIMUM CONTROL MEASURES AND GOALS

Alexandria, Annadale, Loudoun & Woodbridge Campuses 2013-2014 Annual Report - Northern Virginia Community College VPDES Phase II Stormwater Discharge Permit Control Measure VPDES Permit Requirment(s) Measurable Goal(s) Schedule

General Stormwater Management Requirements Current

Programs in Place 2013-2014

Person Responsible

Stormwater Management Program Develop an overarching program for managing the storm water permit for NVCC. Continue implementation and enhancement of the program to remain compliant. Yes E, P, I FM

Nutrient Management Plans

Public Education and Outreach on Stormwater Impacts

Complete the requirements for State Agency Nutrient Management Plans

Distribute educational materials

An updated nutrient management plan for each NVCC campuses was developed and submitted and approved by DCR in July of 2012.

Stormwater fact sheet to be included in the student handbook at the beginning of each semester.

Yes V FM

Yes V FM Stormwater fact sheet, EPA guidelines for non-point source pollution and other general information on stormwater related issues are provided on NVCCs website. Yes V FM

Install posters at critical locations to increase environmental awareness of behaviors that have stormwater impacts. Yes V FM

Install storm drain markers on all storm drain inlets at each campus to increase awareness of the receiving water body. Yes V FM

Conduct outreach activities Host educational workshops Yes V FM

Public Involvement/Participation

Post notice of stormwater program implementation MS4 annual report, MS4 General Permit, MS4 Program Manual are posted on NOVA's website. Yes V FM

Participate in local activities Initiate programs/activities through the Student Activities Office,relevant student clubs, Environmentally focused Faculty Departments, Faculty/Staff Committees, etc. Yes V FM

Introduce to students the option of a project/activity pertaining to local stormwater issues in related college courses and campus hosted events. Yes V FM

Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination

Develop and implement a plan to detect and address non-stormwater discharges (including illegal dumping)

Conduct monthly inspections of storm sewer system and grounds, including a written report. Perform regular operations and maintenance activities. Yes E, P, I FM

Develop an updated storm sewer map Update site plans showing the campus' storm drainage system as necessary. Yes V FM

Prohibit non-stormwater discharges Conduct monthly inspections of storm sewer system and grounds, including a written report. Perform regular operations and maintenance activities. Yes E, P, I FM

Implement enforcement procedures to prohibit non-stormwater discharges into the MS4 Follow the provisions set forth in the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act. Immediately repair/report all illicit connections/illicit discharges. Ongoing E, P, I FM

Inform employees, businesses and general public of illicit discharge hazards. Implement employee stormwater pollution prevention training and provide opportunities at campus events for the public. Ongoing E, P, I FM

Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control

Require construction site operations to use erosion and sediment controls Stormwater pollution prevention plans require construction site operations to use erosion and sediment controls. Inspection and reporting procedures are in place. Yes V FM

Establish waste control requirements for construction Stormwater pollution prevention plans states waste control requirements for construction. Yes V FM

Establish procedures to ensure the securing of a VSMP construction permit Standard procedures are in place within Facilities Planning and Support Services to secure VSMP construction permits, and the stormwater pollution prevention plans which ensures all construction activities' adherence to state and local stormwater regulations. The Department of Environmental Quality performs peridoc VSMP inspections.

Yes V FM

Track regulated storm activities and submit required information in annual report Facilities Planning and Support Services tracks each regulated storm activity and submits required information in annual reports. Yes V FM

Post-Construction Stormwater Management

Develop and implement structural and/or non-structural BMPs. Construction projects are reviewed and inspected by DEQ to ensure that adequate structural and/or non-structural BMPs are designed and implemented in order to maintain pre-development runoff characteristics.

Yes V FM

Use ordinance or regulation to address post-construction runoff Ordinances are not possible; therefore, NVCC uses the regulations as an enforcement vehicle to address post-construction runoff. Yes V FM

Secure authorization under a VSMP permit for new development Procedures in place for obtaining VSMP permit for all land distubance activities subject to the regulations. Yes V FM

Ensure long-term operation and maintenance of BMPs Asbuilts and maintenance records are acquired and maintained for use after construction. Perform preventative maintenance as necessary. Ongoing E, P, I FM

Track BMP type, location, discharge site, acres treated, inspection and maintenance Use BMP form in the NVCC Stormwater Management Program Manual to track all relevant BMP information. Ongoing E, P, I FM

Submit BMP information in the annual report Submit annual report (inlcuding BMP tracking form for the Stormwater Management Program Manual) Yes V FM

Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping

Develop an operation and maintenance program w/ training component Develop and implement stormwater pollution prevention training for NVCC employees Ongoing E, P, I FM

E - Evaluate Current Programs and where current programs do not exist, evaluate the requirements and needs for adding an appropriate program P - Plan revision to existing programs or plan new programs I - Implement changes to existing programs or implement new programs V - Verify the performance of the programs and revise as necessary to remain current FM - NVCC Facilities Management


ATTACHMENT B

NORTHERN VIRGINIA CLEAN WATER PARTNERS DOCUMENTATION

Northern Virginia

Clean Water Partners

2014 Summary

WORKING TOGETHER FOR HEALTHY STREAMS AND RIVERS

Polluted stormwater runoff is the number one cause of poor water quality in streams and rivers in Northern Virginia. As stormwater runs off city streets, suburban yards and parking lots, it picks up pesticides and fertilizer from lawns, bacteria from pet waste, as well as petroleum and oil from driveways and parking lots. Don't forget about the sediment from construction sites or the litter and cigarette butts from the sidewalk.

To reduce the impacts of stormwater pollution, the Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners aims to change human behaviors in our cities and neighborhoods through a public awareness and education campaign.

The Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners is comprised of a multi-disciplined group of local governments, drinking water and sanitation authorities, and individual businesses working together to address the common issues surrounding pollution prevention, stormwater management, and source water protection. “Only Rain Down the Storm Drain” is the motto of the partnership.

The primary goal of the partnership is to reduce stormwater-related pollution from entering local waterways.

To meet this goal, the Partners work together to:

Educate the region’s residents on simple ways to reduce pollution around their homes;

Monitor changes in behavior through surveys and other data collection techniques; and

Pilot new cost-effective opportunities for public outreach and education.

Members include stormwater program managers, Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit managers, communication directors, public information officers, water quality compliance specialists, and environmental planners.

Membership is voluntary and each member pays annual dues to fund the program. The partnership provides a cost-effective means to meet mandatory state and federal stormwater requirements. By working together the partners are able to leverage their available funds to develop and place bilingual educational products with common

messages and themes, thereby extending their individual reach.

Regional Stormwater Education Campaign

The Annual Regional Stormwater Education Campaign was initiated in 2003 to assist localities in leveraging funds to achieve common goals regarding stormwater education and outreach and promote consistent messages for high priority water quality issues.

The 2014 campaign satisfied MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) Phase I and Phase II permit requirements for stormwater education and documenting changes in behavior.

For more information visit www.onlyrain.org

http://www.onlyrain.org/

2 NORTHERN VIRGINIA CLEAN WATER PARTNERS | 2014 SUMMARY

About the

Partnership The Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners is open to any water and sewer district, municipal government agency or school system in and around Northern Virginia.

2014 Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners

Fairfax County | Arlington County | Loudoun County | Stafford County | Fairfax Water |City of Alexandria | Loudoun Water |

City of Fairfax |Town of Herndon | City of Falls Church | Town of Leesburg | Town of Vienna | Town of Dumfries | Doody Calls |

Northern Virginia Regional Commission | Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program | George Mason University | Fairfax County

Public Schools | Arlington County Public Schools | Northern Virginia Community

College

2014 Campaign Overview

In 2014, the Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners used television, print, internet advertising and the Only Rain Down the Storm Drain website to distribute messages linked to specific stormwater problems, such as proper pet waste disposal, over fertilization of lawns and gardens and proper disposal of motor oil. In addition to the multi-channel media campaign, educational events hosted throughout the Northern Virginia region also raised awareness and encouraged positive behavior change in residents. The television and internet ads featured the well known national symbol of non-point source pollution; the rubber ducky.

Throughout the campaign year, the Partners made the following efforts to educate the public and promote awareness of stormwater pollution:

From January 2014 through July 2014, four Public Service Announcements featuring messages on the importance of picking up pet waste and general household stormwater pollution reduction measures aired on twelve popular cable TV channels, including three Spanish speaking channels a total of 3,502 times.


The campaign also featured banner ads on the Xfinity.com website that 2014 Accomplishments promote the same messages as the cable TV ads.

The internet banner ads resulted in over 300 click thrus to the www.onlyrain.org 3,193,924 Total household television impressions* website.

527,863 Total internet banner ad impressions*

10,000 Dog waste bag dispensers distributed at community events

3,502 Number of times the ads aired on television from January – July 2014

Conducted an online poll survey of 500 300 Visits to the www.onlyrain.org website Northern Virginia residents to determine the effectiveness of the ads, 500 Online Annual Survey Responses to reveal any changes in behavior, and to aid in directing the future efforts of the campaign.

* Impressions are the number of times an ad appeared on a single television or computer

screen.

Distributed 10,000 pet waste bag dispensers at various community events to promote awareness of proper disposal of pet waste.

Renovated and updated the Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners website.

http://www.onlyrain.org/http://www.onlyrain.org/http:Xfinity.com


Annual Survey Highlights

Main cause of water pollution… For the fourth year in a row, the majority of survey respondents stated fertilizers and pesticides as the number one cause of pollution in local streams, the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.

Where stormwater goes… Over 90 percent of Northern Virginia residents surveyed stated that stormwater goes to the Potomac River, the Chesapeake Bay, or to local streams and rivers.

93% Stated the actions of individuals are important in protecting water quality in local streams, the Potomac River, and the Chesapeake Bay is important.

70% Would be more likely to take actions to reduce the amounts of pollutants they personally put into storm drains, after learning that polluted water runoff is the number one cause of local water pollution.

To assist in determining the effectiveness of the campaign at increasing awareness and changing behaviors, after each campaign year, the Partners conduct an online annual survey of 500 Northern Virginia residents.

Findings in the 2014 survey include:

15 percent of the respondents recalled hearing or seeing advertisements on the internet or on TV about reducing water pollution.

Of those who recalled the ads, seven percent state they now pick up their pet waste more often, seven percent state that they are more careful with motor oil, and 18 percent state they fertilize fewer times per year.

The number of respondents choosing runoff from streets and parking lots as the number one source of pollution has remained steady over the past four years.

42 percent of respondents knew they live in the Potomac River watershed, up from 38 percent in 2011.

Interestingly, 81 percent of people surveyed reported that they always pick up after their pet, as compared with 30 percent in previous surveys.

When shown the Only Rain Down the Storm Drain logo, over half of the respondents recognized the logo.

86 percent of respondents were familiar with rain barrels, and 66 percent stated they already have a rain barrel or are interested in getting one

36 percent of respondents were familiar with rain gardens, with 62 percent already having a rain garden or interested in installing one.

More than half of the respondents (54%) prefer to receive information from online sources. Newspaper (19%) and television (17%) were the next two

Understanding Behaviors In addition to capturing responses to questions regarding the effectiveness of the campaign, this year’s survey honed in on the current behaviors of Northern Virginia residents as they relate to pet waste management, lawn care, and motor oil disposal. Responses to these questions support the development of future messages and targeted promotion.

The most important reason dog owners are motivated to pick up their pet’s waste is because “It’s what good neighbors do”. The number of respondents choosing “It causes water pollution” as the most important reason to pick up has risen from 13 percent in 2011 to 20 percent in 2014.

A third of the lawn and garden owners fertilize their lawns two or more times per year; an equal number never fertilize their lawns. Among those who fertilize once a year, 13 percent fertilize in the spring and only eight percent fertilize in the fall. This suggests that there is room to educate more residents of Northern Virginia that fertilizing in the fall is better for local waterways than fertilizing in the spring.

About half of the respondents reported using an herbicide to treat weeds in their lawn or garden.

To better understand behavior related to the application of fertilizer, three new questions about fertilizer were added to the 2013 survey. Among those who fertilize their lawn, 69 percent have never had or were not sure if their soil had been tested for fertility or pH and four-in-ten reported using a slow release N fertilizer. When asked where they get information to decide when and how much fertilizer to apply the top three most commonly selected responses were “Follow directions on the bag” (52%), followed by “Lawn service conducts the applications” (31%), and then “Eyeball it based on size of lawn” (7%).

The majority of respondents take their vehicle to a service station to change their oil preferred information sources. (85%) or take used oil to a gas station or hazmat facility for recycling (10%). Only two percent of Northern Virginians reported storing used motor oil in their garage, placing it in the trash or dumping it down the storm

95% Believe it is important for local governments to spend

drain. more money on protecting water quality.

Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners 2014 Annual Report

1.0 Regional Stormwater Education Campaign

In 2014, the Northern Virginia Regional Commission continued to support the Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners and their regional stormwater education effort called “Only Rain Down the Drain Campaign”. The campaign was initiated in 2003 to enable Northern Virginia jurisdictions to pool outreach funds to achieve common goals regarding stormwater education and outreach and promote consistent messages about stormwater pollution across the Northern Virginia region. The campaign uses the storm drain marker symbol, the blue and green shad, as its logo (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners logo symbol

The activities conducted as part of the campaign satisfies part of the member jurisdiction’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Phase I and Phase II permit requirements for public education and outreach and documenting changes in behavior.

The Clean Water Partners received financial and in-kind contributions from 15 partners in 2014, for a total budget of $152,000. The Partners met two times and had one conference call between January and September 2014 to plan, implement and review campaign activities. Meeting summaries are provided as Appendix A.

2.0 Public Education Advertisements The campaign uses a multi-media approach to educate the public on stormwater pollution. Cable television ads, promotional items, a website (onlyrain.org), print materials, and internet banner ads were used to reach a large audience across the region. On behalf of the partners, NVRC secured the services of Comcast Spotlight to air ads on cable television. Four, 30-second long ad’s that feature rubber duckies were selected to illustrate the importance of picking up pet waste, reducing fertilizer application and implementing other general household stormwater pollution reduction measures. The rubber ducky was chosen as a theme for the ads because it has been a long-time symbol of non-point source pollution. One ad was selected for translation into Spanish. In addition to the television ads, campaign banner ads appeared on the Comcast website. For the first time this year, taggable spots were also aired.

1

http:onlyrain.org


3.0 High‐priority water quality issues and the target audience Phase II MS4 permit holders are required to conduct outreach and education activities that reach at least 20% of each high priority issue target audience1. NVRC held several meetings with the Partners to discuss and determine the high priority water quality issues for the region. Regional water quality impairments were the primary criteria used to determine the issues. The three high priority water quality issues identified by the Partners are bacteria, nutrients, and motor oil/chemical contaminants. These issues became the focus of the education and outreach campaign for 2014.

3.1 Bacteria Bacteria pollution in stormwater runoff can come from leaking sanitary sewer pipes, livestock agriculture, wildlife (i.e. Canada geese), improper disposal of pet waste, and failed septic systems. Since most of the region is connected to a municipal sanitary sewer, septic systems are not widely used. The region is primarily urban and suburban residential and agriculture is not a major land use. Most sanitary sewer lines undergo regular leak detection and do not contribute a significant load of bacteria to area streams. Due to the large number of pet owners in the region, the Partners chose pet owners as the target audience and the education and outreach messages focused on proper disposal of pet waste.

3.2 Nutrients Nutrient impairment from stormwater runoff is usually attributed to agriculture or residential fertilizer. MS4 permit holders are required by the Chesapeake Bay TMDL to reduce the nitrogen and phosphorous load contributed to the Bay through stormwater. As the major land use in the region is urban or suburban, the Partners chose to target homeowners with education and outreach messages focused on proper lawn care and disposal of yard waste.

3.3 Motor Oil/Chemical Contaminants Illicit Discharge or illegal dumping of motor oil, anti-freeze and other chemical contaminants into the stormwater sewer system is also a cause of water impairment in the region. The Partners chose to target home mechanics and contractors with educational messages focused on proper handling of motor oils and hazardous waste.

4.0 Summary of 2014 Advertising From January through July advertisements featuring messages on the importance of picking up pet waste and general household stormwater pollution reduction measures aired on twelve popular cable TV channels, including three Spanish speaking channels a total of 3,502 times. The networks were selected based upon demographics of the target audience. Table 1 shows the network where Only Rain Down the Drain advertisements were aired.

1 It shall not be considered noncompliance for failure to reach 20% of the target audience. However, it shall be a compliance issue if insufficient effort is made to annually reach a minimum of 20% of the target audience.

2


Table 1. Cable networks that aired Only Rain Down the Drain ads in 2014 HIST HGTV SYFY ANPL ESPN DIY ENT OXYG HLN TOON ESPD GALA CNNE NGC

The TV ads resulted in approximately 3,193,924 impressions in Northern Virginia households. In addition to cable network advertising, digital banner ads were displayed on Xfinity.com and resulted in 527,863 total impressions and over 300 click thrus to the www.onlyrain.org website.

Table 2. Impressions from banner ads by month in 2014 Month 2014 300 x250 ad size

(impressions/ month) 160x 600 ad size

(impressions/month) February 56,111 31,754 March 55,975 31,600 April 55,137 33,089 May 55,799 31,854 June 55,573 32,710 July 55,179 33,082 Total 333,774 194,089

The total population of the Northern Virginia region in 2010 was 1,992,044. Since Comcast tracks the number of impressions by broadcast zone not jurisdiction, the target audience reached for each jurisdiction can be derived for the zipcodes in each broadcast zone (Tables 3, 4, and 5).

Table 3. Zipcodes of the Potomac Superzone

ZIP ZIP ZIP ZIP ZIP ZIP

20001 20166 20720 20851 22026 22202 20002 20169 20721 20852 22027 22203 20003 20170 20722 20853 22030 22204 20005 20171 20735 20854 22031 22205 20007 20175 20737 20855 22032 22206 20008 20176 20740 20860 22033 22207 20009 20181 20743 20861 22039 22209 20010 20190 20744 20862 22041 22213

3

http:www.onlyrain.orghttp:Xfinity.com


20011 20191 20745 20866 22042 22302 20012 20194 20746 20868 22043 22303 20015 20601 20747 20871 22044 22306 20016 20602 20748 20872 22046 22307 20018 20603 20762 20874 22060 22308 20019 20607 20769 20876 22066 22309 20020 20611 20770 20877 22079 22310 20032 20613 20772 20878 22101 22311 20105 20622 20774 20879 22102 22312 20109 20623 20781 20882 22124 22315 20110 20632 20782 20886 22125 22401 20111 20646 20783 20889 22134 22405 20112 20664 20784 20895 22150 22406 20120 20675 20785 20896 22151 22407 20121 20677 20812 20901 22152 22408 20124 20693 20814 20902 22153 22508 20129 20695 20815 20903 22172 22551 20136 20705 20816 20904 22180 22553 20147 20706 20817 20905 22181 22554 20148 20707 20818 20906 22182 22556 20151 20708 20832 20910 22191 22580 20152 20710 20833 20912 22192 22701 20155 20712 20837 22003 22193 20164 20715 20841 22015 22199 20165 20716 20850 22025 22201

Table 4. Zip codes of the Alexandria Broadcast Zone ZIP TOWN

22301 Alexandria

22302 Alexandria

22304 Alexandria

22305 Alexandria

22311 Alexandria

22312 Alexandria

22314 Alexandria

4


Table 5. Zip codes of the Fairfax Broadcast Zone

ZIP TOWN ZIP TOWN

20120 Centreville 22102 Tyson’s 20121 Centreville 22124 Oakton 20124 Clifton 22150 Springfield 20151 Chantilly 22151 Springfield 20170 Herndon 22152 Springfield 20171 Herndon 22153 Springfield 20192 Herndon 22180 Vienna 22003 Annandale 22181 Vienna 22015 Burke 22182 Vienna 22027 Dunn Loring 22306 Alexandria 22030 Fairfax 22307 Alexandria 22031 Fairfax 22308 Alexandria 22032 Fairfax 22309 Alexandria 22033 Fairfax 22310 Alexandria

22039 Fairfax Station 22312 Alexandria

22041 Bailey’s Cross 22315 Alexandria

22042 Falls Church 22043 Falls Church

22044 Seven Corners

22046 Falls Church 22079 Lorton 22101 McLean

The number of impressions by network in each broadcast zone is given in Table 6.

5


Table 6. Number of impressions by network in each broadcast zone Networks by Broadcast

Zone Number of

Impressions from 2/24/14- 8/17/14

Potomac Total 2,871,055 HLN -TV 173,544

OXYG-TV 310,261 TOON-TV 1,061,087 ENT -TV 479,889 APL -TV 340,469

Rotational spots (5 Nets)

505,805

Fairfax County Total 292,881 APL -TV 47,143 ESPN-TV 56,371 CNN -TV 77,371 HIST-TV 64,132 NGC -TV 31,764

Rotational spots (5 Nets)

16,100

Alexandria, VA Total 29,988 APL -TV 10,786 ESPN-TV 6,705 HGTV-TV 12,497

Total Household Impressions All

Zones

3,193,924

5.0 Reaching the Target Audience A survey of 500 Northern Virginia residents is conducted annually to identify the demographics of the target audience for each high priority issue, determine the effectiveness of the ads, reveal any changes in behavior, and aid in directing the future efforts of the campaign. The 2014 survey results are included as Appendix C.

6


5.1 Priority Issue: Bacteria

Target Audience: Pet owners

In the 2013 survey, 28 percent (142 individuals) of 500 respondents reported that they owned a dog. Of those that owned a dog, 17 percent (24 individuals) reported that they do not always pick up after their dog while on walks or in the yard. Therefore the target audience is at least 17 percent of the total population or 338,647. Phase II MS4 permit holders are required to reach at least 20 percent of the target audience (67,729 individuals) with education and outreach. The educational message was that “Pet waste left on the ground washes into stormdrains and streams every time it rains. This runoff carries bacteria and other organisms from your pet's waste into local streams. Dispose of your pet's waste properly by bagging it and throwing it away.” The take home message in the advertisement was simple and reinforcing; “Scoop it, bag it, trash it” (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Messaging to dog owners regarding proper disposal of pet waste

In addition to the advertisement shown on TV, the Partners distributed 10,000 pet waste bag dispensers to dog owners at community events to promote proper handling and disposal of dog waste (Figure 3).

7


Figure 3. Pet waste bag dispensers handed out by Partners at community events

According to data provided by Comcast, certain networks such as Animal Planet are more likely to be watched by dog owners. To determine how many of the total impressions reached the target audience (pet owners), the number of impressions in each broadcast zone for networks that have lifestyle characteristics that include owning a dog was tabulated (Table 7).

Table 7. Networks with viewers that are more likely to own a dog. Cable Network Number of Impressions in each zone Total

Potomac Alexandria Fairfax APL -TV 340,469 10,786 47,143 398,398 ENT -TV 479,889 N.A.* N.A. 479,889

HGTV-TV N.A. N.A. 12,497 12,497 HIST-TV N.A. N.A. 64,132 64,132 HLN -TV 173,544 N.A. N.A. 173,544 TOON-TV 1,061,087 N.A. N.A. 1,061,087

TOTAL 2,189,547 *Data not available at time of this report

As shown in Table 8, in order to reach the 20% target audience, 67,729 individuals throughout the region need to be reached with education and outreach. Accounting for the 10,000 pet waste dispensers that were distributed plus the cable television impressions totaling more than 2 million impressions, the goal of reaching 20 percent of the target audience was exceeded.

Table 8. Percent of Target Audience Reached

8


Target Audience: Pet Owners

Total Population

(2010 Census)

Target Audience

(17% of population)

20% of Target

Audience

Percent of Target Audience Reached

1,992,044 338,647 67,729 100%

5.2 Priority Issue: Nutrients

Target Audience: Homeowners Who Apply Fertilizer

According to the data from our 2013 annual survey, more than a third of lawn and garden owners fertilize their lawns two or more times per year. The recommended application for most types of lawns in Northern Virginia is once per year in late summer or fall depending upon the results of a soil test. The educational messages were “Fertilize in the Fall if at all”, “Mulch clippings for a healthy lawn and community”, and “Sweep all clippings and fertilizer off of the pavement”. The television and internet ads featured the well-known national symbol of non-point source pollution; the rubber ducky (Figures 4 and 5).

Figure 4. Screenshot of television ad

Figure 5. Screenshot of television ad

9


The survey results suggest that the highest percentage of homeowners who apply fertilizers to their lawn or garden more than the recommended rate are males and females between the ages of 35 and 65 (Table 9).

Table 9. 2013 Survey Responses to Residential Fertilizer Behavior Number of Respondents Percentage

Total with lawn or garden 413 82.6 % Of those w/ lawn, female primary caretaker 105 25.4 % Of those w/ lawn, male primary caretaker 143 34.6 % Total males and females who fertilize other than never or once in fall 142 34.4 % Females who fertilize other than never or once in fall 55 52.4 % Males who fertilize other than never or once in fall 87 60.8 %

18-34 year old Females who are primary caretakers and fertilize other than once in fall (includes lawn service) 9 16.4%

35 - 65+ year old Females who are primary caretakers and fertilize other than once in fall (includes lawn service) 27 49.1 % 18-34 year old males who are primary caretakers and fertilize other than once in fall (includes lawn service) 6 10.9 %

35 - 65+ year old males who are primary caretakers and fertilize other than once in fall (includes lawn service) 40 46 %

According to data provided by Comcast, certain networks such as HLN are more likely to be watched by people who perform their own lawn care. To determine how many of the total impressions reached the target audience the number of impressions network in each broadcast zone for networks that have lifestyle characteristics that include performing their own lawn care was tabulated (Table 10).

Table 10. Networks with viewers that are more likely to perform lawncare at their home Cable Network Number of Impressions in each zone Total Northern

Virginia Impressions Potomac Alexandria Fairfax

10


CNN -TV N.A. N.A. 77,371 77,371 ESPN-TV N.A. 6,705 56,371 63,076 HGTV-TV N.A. 12,497 N.A. 12,497 HIST-TV N.A. N.A. 64,132 64,132 HLN -TV 173,544 N.A. N.A. 173,544 NGC -TV N.A. N.A. 31,764 31,764 TOTAL 422,384

*Data not available at time of this report

As shown in Table 11, in order to reach the 20% target audience, 191,867 individuals throughout the region needed to be reached with education and outreach. The cable television impressions totaled 422,384 and the goal of reaching 20 percent of the target audience was exceeded.

Table 11. Percent of Target Audience Reached Target Audience: Homeowners who

perform their own lawn care age 35-75 Total

Population (2010

Census)

Total Population

of Target Audience

20% of Target

Audience

Percent of Target

Audience Reached

1,992,044 959,337 191,867 100%

5.1 Priority Issue: Chemical Contaminants

Target Audience: Contractors and Home Mechanics

According to the data from our 2013 annual survey, less than 1% of car and truck owners change their own oil and reported they dump the used oil down the storm drain or put it in the trash. Four out of the six respondents who reported this behavior were male. Due to the low number of respondents who reported this behavior (6), singling out a specific subset of a demographic as the target audience is not possible from this dataset because the margin of error is high. However, Comcast was able to derive a target audience using the Scarborough Research syndicated data set for the Washington DC DMA (March 2013-February 2014 survey period). The target audience is respondents who reported performing their own auto repairs such as oil filter/oil change or coolant/anti-freeze change in the past 12 months. The Scarborough Research data set indicated that the total population of the target audience across the region is 189,232 individuals.

According to Comcast data, the viewers of the networks listed in Table 12 have lifestyle characteristics that include performing their own auto repair.

11


Table 12. Networks with viewers that are more likely to perform their own auto repair Cable Network Number of Impressions in each zone Total

Impressions Potomac Alexandria Fairfax APL -TV 340,469 10,786 47,143 77,371 CNN -TV N.A. 6,705 77,371 63,076 HGTV-TV N.A. 12,497 N.A. 12,497 HIST-TV N.A. N.A. 64,132 64,132 NGC -TV N.A. 31,764 173,544 TOTAL 390,620

*Data not available at time of this report

As shown in Table 13, in order to reach the 20% target audience, 37,846 individuals throughout the region needed to be reached with education and outreach. The cable television impressions totaled 390,620 and the goal of reaching 20 percent of the target audience was exceeded with the television ads.

Table 13. Percent of Target Audience Reached Target Audience: perform Auto Repairs such as Anti-Freeze/Coolant or Oil Filter/Oil Change in past 12 months

Total Population

(2010 Census)

Total Population of Target Audience

20% of Target

Audience

Percent of Target

Audience Reached

1,992,044 189,232 37,846 100%

6.0 Annual Survey The annual surveys are used to understand current behaviors of Northern Virginia residents as they relate to pet waste management, lawn care, and motor oil disposal. The surveys also determining the effectiveness of the campaign at increasing awareness and changing behaviors related to stormwater pollution from year to year.

12


The 2014 survey of 500 Northern Virginia residents was conducted online by Amplitude Research. The results are attached as Appendix B. This year, 8 percent of the respondents were Spanish Speakers. Results from 2014 indicated that 20 percent of the respondents recalled hearing or seeing advertisements on the internet or on TV about reducing water pollution. Of those who recalled the ads, three percent state they now pick up their pet waste more often, four percent state that they are more careful with motor oil, and 13 percent state they fertilize fewer times per year.

To assist in determining the effectiveness of the campaign at increasing awareness and changing behaviors, after each campaign year, the Partners conduct an online annual survey of 500 Northern Virginia residents.

13


Other findings from the 2014 survey include:

15 percent of the respondents recalled hearing or seeing advertisements on the internet or on TV about reducing water pollution.

Of those who recalled the ads, seven percent state they now pick up their pet waste more often, seven percent state that they are more careful with motor oil, and 18 percent state they fertilize fewer times per year.

The number of respondents choosing runoff from streets and parking lots as the number one source of pollution has remained steady over the past four years.

42 percent of respondents knew they lived in the Potomac River watershed, up from 38 percent in 2011.

Interestingly, 81 percent of people surveyed reported that they always pick up after their pet, as compared with 30 percent in previous surveys.

When shown the Only Rain Down the Storm Drain logo, over half of the respondents recognized the logo.

86 percent of respondents were familiar with rain barrels, and 66 percent stated they already have a rain barrel or are interested in getting one

36 percent of respondents were familiar with rain gardens, with 62 percent already having a rain garden or interested in installing one.

More than half of the respondents (54%) prefer to receive information from online sources. Newspaper (19%) and television (17%) were the next two preferred information sources.

In addition to capturing responses to questions regarding the effectiveness of the campaign, this year’s survey honed in on the current behaviors of Northern Virginia residents as they relate to pet waste management, lawn care, and motor oil disposal. Responses to these questions support the development of future messages and targeted promotion.

The most important reason dog owners are motivated to pick up their pet’s waste is because “It’s what good neighbors do”. The number of respondents choosing “It causes water pollution” as the most important reason to pick up has risen from 13 percent in 2011 to 20 percent in 2014. A third of the lawn and garden owners fertilize their lawns two or more times per year; an equal number never fertilize their lawns. Among those who fertilize once a year, 13 percent fertilize in the spring and only eight percent fertilize in the fall. This suggests that there is room to educate more residents of Northern Virginia that fertilizing in the fall is better for local waterways than fertilizing in the spring.

About half of the respondents reported using an herbicide to treat weeds in their lawn or garden. To better understand behavior related to the application of fertilizer, three new questions about fertilizer were added to the 2013 survey. Among those who fertilize their lawn, 69 percent have never had or were not sure if their soil had been tested for fertility or pH and four-in-ten reported using a slow release N fertilizer. When asked where they get information to decide when and

14


how much fertilizer to apply the top three most commonly selected responses were “Follow directions on the bag” (52%), followed by “Lawn service conducts the applications” (31%), and then “Eyeball it based on size of lawn” (7%).

The majority of respondents take their vehicle to a service station to change their oil (85%) or take used oil to a gas station or hazmat facility for recycling (10%). Only two percent of Northern Virginians reported storing used motor oil in their garage, placing it in the trash or dumping it down the storm drain.

Responses to the survey suggest that public support remains strong for local government programs that improve the quality of water in local and regional streams and rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.

15


Appendix A Meeting Summaries

16


Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners PLANNING MEETING

January 6, 2014 1:00 – 3:00 pm

In Attendance: Chris Stone Loudoun County [email protected] Jen McDonnell Arlington County [email protected] Paul Santay Stafford County [email protected] Richard West Town of Dumfries [email protected] David Jensen Doody Calls [email protected] Aileen Winquist Arlington County [email protected] Irene Haske Fairfax County [email protected] Aimee Vosper NVRC [email protected] Corey Miles NVRC [email protected] Jeanne Bailey Fairfax Water [email protected] Robbie Houser George Mason University [email protected] Brad Glatfelter George Mason University [email protected] Sara Rilveria Northern VA Community College [email protected] Micah Vieux Loudon Water [email protected] Hannah Somers NVRC [email protected] Cathy Lin Arlington County Public Schools [email protected] Christina Alexander City of Fairfax [email protected] The purpose of this meeting was to review the 2013 campaign and plan for the 2014 campaign. The Agenda is attached as Appendix A. The Comcast Spotlight presentation is Appendix B. Comcast Spotlight 2013 Advertising Heather Cleary from Comcast Spotlight provided an overview of their advertising services and the benefits of advertising on cable television as well as on‐line. Comcast Spotlight has the ability to reach viewers in a specific area through broadcasting in selected zones. They can also target specific demographics by advertising on various networks. Marketing research has shown that most adults consume media online and on television. Advertising on television and on their website XFINITY.com can increase brand recall and engagement. Heather reviewed the results of the 2013 advertising on Comcast Spotlight. The Clean Water Partners spent $66,834 on advertising from April 2013‐December 2013. Four rubber ducky themed, anti‐pollution ads were aired throughout our region on twelve networks. The television ads resulted in almost 4 million impressions. Two on‐line banner ads also ran on XFINITY.com. The Partners ordered 400,000 300x250 banner ad impressions and received 514,706 impressions resulting in an added value of $1,386. People chose to watch the video 10,325 times resulting on 1,162 minutes of video consumption and 304 click‐thrus to our website. This banner ad delivered a 2.14 percent engagement rate. We also ordered 240,000 impressions of the 160x600 banner impressions. We received 287,903

17

http:XFINITY.comhttp:XFINITY.commailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


impressions resulting in another $282 of added value. People chose to watch the video 1,913 times and 161 people clicked through to our web‐site. Comcast Spotlight 2014 Advertising Proposal The proposal for 2014 advertising with Comcast Spotlight is as follows: Flight dates March 2014‐December 2014 10 Premium networks – E, Animal Planet, ESPN, History, National Geographic, CNN, HLN, Oxygen, Cartoon Network, and HGTV. Oxygen, History, CNN and Headline News to channel 14 were added and Hallmark, DIY and Syfy were dropped because market research has shown that those who watch Headline News were more likely to participate in eco‐friendly activities 3 Premium Hispanic Networks – Galavision, ESPN Deportes, CNN (Espanol) 800,000 impressions online on Xfinity.com 390 added value taggables ‐ $15,000 value/free production TV ads will run more frequently in spring and fall than in the summer Total investment $65,125 The taggable spots are 10 seconds long‐can re‐use the voice overs from the radio ads

Heather’s presentation is attached as Appendix B. Discussion of Comcast Proposal The group agreed that the advertising efforts with Comcast Spotlight in 2013 were satisfactory. The 2014 proposal is $1709 less and has additional features that add value. According to the Partners 2013 survey, the majority of respondents prefer to receive information online and on television. Advertising efforts that are multi‐media are focused appropriately. The Partners agreed to continue advertising with Comcast Spotlight with on‐line and cable television ads for 2014. Corey will manage the contract with Comcast. Website Updates Corey and Aileen worked with intern Hannah Somers to update the Only Rain website www.onlyrain.org. was updated. Updates included New theme Links to individual jurisdictions stormwater websites. Radio ads and tv ads posted Updated the text on all pages Added new pictures Changed Mechanics page to Home Maintenance Added more information on car washing Posted local stormwater hotline numbers Posted household hazardous waste drop off locations Simplified the design

18

http:www.onlyrain.orghttp:Xfinity.com


Added information and links to more resources on illicit discharge Added information on the Green Thumbs page about local farmers markets and native plant sales and nurseries Added “Learn More” pages with links to jurisdictions webpages Removed RSS and Twitter icons

Promotional Items David Jensen from Doody Calls placed an order of dog waste bag dispensers for us through his supplier. The shipment is in and he will be making deliveries to individuals soon. Corey will figure out how to divvy up the shipment so everyone gets their fair share. Annual Survey The annual survey of at least 500 Northern Virginia will be conducted in July to determine the effectiveness of the ads, reveal any changes in behavior, and inform future efforts of the campaign. 2014 Campaign Plan The 3 Priority issues this year are 1) lawn care practices and chemicals 2)proper disposal of pet waste 3) illicit discharge. The 2014 campaign plan is as follows: Run television ads on Comcast Spotlight Jan‐Dec Banner ads on XFINITY.com Jan‐Dec Taggable spots on Comcast Spotlight March‐Dec Conduct annual survey in July and have report by August Each jurisdiction to distribute the promotional items at community events February ‐ Dec Campaign summary out to all Partners by early September for MS4 reports Corey will investigate the possibility of displaying banner ads on local buses and shelters (the shelters cost $1500/month) Corey will do a comparison of costs and impressions of tv ads vs. radio ads

2014 Contributions Dues will remain the same this year. Invoices will be sent out soon. MOU Corey has drafted some language for MOU between the Partners and private businesses who wish to join. New Partners Fairfax County Public Schools and Northern Virginia Community College would like to join the partnership. Other public school systems may join as well.

19

http:XFINITY.com

Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners SPRING 2014 CAMPAIGN PLANNING MEETING

Tuesday, May 13, 2014 11:30 – 1:00

Main Conference Room Northern Virginia Regional Commission

3060 Williams Drive – Suite 510 Fairfax, VA 22031

The purpose of this meeting is to review 2014 campaign activities and plan for 2014 annual report

SUMMARY In Attendance: Chris Stone Loudoun County [email protected] Jennifer McDonnell Arlington County [email protected] Paul Santay Stafford County [email protected] Richard West Town of Dumfries [email protected] David Jensen Doody Calls [email protected] Aileen Winquist Arlington County [email protected] Corey Miles NVRC [email protected] Brad Glatfelter George Mason University [email protected] Sara Rilveria Northern VA Community College [email protected] Cathy Lin Arlington County Public Schools [email protected] Christina Alexander City of Fairfax

[email protected] Douglas Day Town of Herndon doug.day@herndon‐va.gov Jennifer Lamberton Town of Leesburg [email protected] Melanie Mason City of Alexandria

[email protected] Jason Widstrom City of Falls Church [email protected] Joanna Grey City of Falls Church [email protected]

1. Introductions, Updates, News Items a. Pet Waste Bag Dispensers‐all delivered? Extras?

Dave Jensen from Doody Calls has delivered all of the pet waste bag dispensers. Several jurisdictions have reported that they were handed out at different spring events around the region and that they were very well received. Fairfax County decided not to take their full share so about 40 extra boxes were available for members of the group to take with them if they wanted to. Several jurisdictions took boxes but there are still a few left. Corey will store the extras here at NVRC. Please contact Corey if you would like to take some more.

b. Invoices – everyone receive? Any issues?

Invoices for FY 2014‐2015 were sent out in January. No issues about the invoices were reported at the meeting.

c. Stormwater Door Hangers Melanie Mason from the City of Alexandria brought a door hanger that had the Only Rain Down the Storm Drain logo on the front and some numbers about who to call about illicit discharges in Alexandria, Arlington, and Falls Church on the back. The door hanger also said “Drains to Four Mile Run” on the front. Corey thinks that it was created as part of the Four Mile Run Program since it only contains jurisdictions in the Four Mile Run watershed. She will check the Four Mile Run Program files to try to find it. If it is not located there, than it will have to be remade with updated information so we can order new ones. Arlington County stated that they have created something similar for their use when they do storm drain marking.

d. Dog waste post cards Corey reported that she received a complaint from a citizen who received one of the dog waste post cards. The complaint was that the post card targets dog owners to pick up after their pets but not cat owners. This is unfair because people don’t typically pick up after their outdoor cats.

Where appropriate in the future, NVCWP will be more conscientious about using the term ‘pet waste’ rather than ‘dog waste’.

e. Charity Car Washes Update from Arlington Aileen Winquist and Cathy Lin from Arlington County provided an update to the group about the County’s ban on charity carwashes in order to comply with their new stormwater permit. Fundraiser carwashes will no longer be allowed by the County on school property due to the wash water runoff containing detergents, petroleum, chlorine and other pollutants.

2. 2014 Comcast Advertising Update a. The number of ads aired through April are summarized in the table below.

Spots Aired on Comcast Oct‐13 761 Nov‐13 863 Dec‐13 687 Jan‐14 351 Feb‐14 413 Mar‐14 553 Apr‐14 553

b. Taggable Spot (show spot)

Cost 8016 5676 5676 4602 6828 7023 7023

The taggable spots have been developed and are now running. (Click link below to see taggable spot)

Ecotourism-NOVA Regional Commission.wmv

3. Discussion of needs for Annual Reports a. Survey to be done in August‐ should we expand it to include some number of Spanish

speakers? Since NVCWP has been advertising on Spanish channels, Corey explained that the annual survey could be modified to include some Spanish speaking individuals. Amplitude Research provided a quote of an additional $500 to include 8% Spanish speakers.

Also, the group agreed that it would be most beneficial to initiate the survey by the end of June due to fiscal year reporting requirements.

b. MS4’s timeline for education and outreach plans and reports The annual report will be completed by end of August.

c. How are we reaching 20% of each high priority issue target audience Corey gave a short presentation to detail the specifics of how 20% of each high priority issue target audience is reached. The powerpoint slides are attached as Appendix A.

d. Send Corey the number of promotional items that were handed out so she can include in Annual Report

4. 2015 Campaign Plan a. New Ads? (show Excal video sample)

A potential new 30 second video that targets the issue of illicit discharge was shown. The video was produced by Excal Video, a private company that creates training videos in Colorado. The video is part of a 5‐video set with different run times. The cost for the license will be about $10,000 and includes: 1. The License for our 5‐video set includes both English and Spanish versions of all

programs. 2. While your group is primarily interested in the 30‐second public service

announcement version, the License also allows each MS4 to use any of the 5 programs (from 30 seconds to 10‐1/2 minute run times). Each MS4 would be able to copy any program (on DVD or CD) and provide copies to anyone or any organization within their jurisdiction. Many of our customers make copies for middle schools, high schools, public service organizations like LWV, Ducks Unlimited, Rotary, etc. MS4s would also be able to stream any of the programs on their public website.

3. The 4‐disk set includes 60 different video formats. The large number of formats are included so that TV stations and web managers will be able to find a format that works well for them.

4. All the programs can be customized. Not every disk (DVD or CD) can be customized but there is a blank ‘slate’ at the end of 3 of the disks. The slate can be edited with logos and who to contact for questions or if anyone spots a possible illicit discharge and wants to report it.

The video was well received however, the group would like to evaluate the effectiveness of the video and message using focus groups before making a large purchase. Jen McDonnell of Arlington County suggested we ask the following questions:

Did the ad hold your interest for the full 30 seconds? Do you think this ad will encourage people to stop pouring pollutants down the storm

drain? Do you have any general comments about the ad that you wish to share? Do you have any recommendations for ways to encourage people not to put pollutants

down the storm drain? Would you be less likely to pour something in the storm drain after watching this video?

Ideally, participants in the focus groups would be part of the target audience. Corey explained that the NVCWP budget would likely be able to support the purchase if we did not order any promotional items this year. She will double check with the accounting department to see what the balance is.

5. Wrap‐up a. Schedule next meeting

The next meeting will be scheduled for the fall or winter to discuss 2014 results and plan for 2015.

Appendix B Results of Annual Survey

Arlington County

12%

15%

3% 4%

37%

4% 2%

3%

10%

7%

Study Methodology & Respondent Characteristics

The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) hired Amplitude Research, Inc. to conduct a survey of residents of northern Virginia to measure beliefs and attitudes related to pollution of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.

Amplitude Research administered the 2014 study online between July 21 and August 1, 2014. In the end, 500 surveys were completed by web panelists who live in one of the areas of Virginia shown in the chart below. (In the legend, “N =” indicates the number of respondents in each city, county, or town.)

Where do you live? 3% Alexandria (N = 58)

Arlington (N = 75)

Dumfries (N = 16)

City of Fairfax (N = 21)

County of Fairfax (N = 187)

Falls Church (N = 20)

Herndon (N = 11)

Leesburg (N = 13)

Loudoun County (N = 49)

Stafford County (N = 37)

Vienna (N = 13)

Later in this report, the results for some of the questions are “broken out” by area, in addition to presenting the results for the total sample. However, the specific areas listed above were grouped together into larger areas so that each larger area used for analysis had a reasonable number of respondents.

Residents from Leesburg and Loudoun County were combined into a single category labeled “Leesburg / Loudoun,” since the town of Leesburg lies within Loudoun County. Another category used for analysis was “Dumfries / Stafford,” since Dumfries lies just north of Stafford County. Although Dumfries is not located within Stafford County, it is closer to Stafford than to the other counties covered in the survey. (There were too few survey respondents living in Dumfries to examine the results for Dumfries separately.) The City of Fairfax, Falls Church, Herndon, and Vienna were combined with Fairfax County to create the category “Fairfax Inclusive,” since these cities and towns lie within the Fairfax County area. Although the City of Fairfax and City of Falls Church are distinct areas, their location falls within the larger area circumscribed by Fairfax County.

Alexandria and Arlington each had more than 50 respondents and therefore each of these areas can be examined separately.

The minimum age to participate in the survey was 21. As shown in the chart below, each age group was well represented in the survey. Although a small proportion were age 21 to 24, this category has fewer years than the other categories shown. For analysis purposes later in this report, the categories “21 to 24” and “25 to 34” were combined into the broader category of “21 to 34.”

Which category includes your age? 2%

20%

19%

16%

20%

23%

21 to 24

25 to 34

35 to 44

45 to 54

55 to 64

65 or older

The survey respondents were split between males (46%) and females (54%), while three-fourths (75%) indicated that they own their residence, and 25% reported renting.

The chart on the next page shows how long respondents have lived in their current residence. Some had been living in their current homes for a fairly short period of time (e.g., less than one year – 10%, one to three years – 23%).

A survey was conducted in 2013, 2012, and 2011 that included many of the same questions, targeted the same geographic area, and had a similar demographic mix as in this 2014 study. Later in this report, comparisons between years are shown where appropriate. In previous years, the title used for the study was “NVRC Resident Survey.” Starting in 2013, the study title was changed to “Only Rain NVRC Survey,” since a new question was added about awareness of the “Only Rain” logo.

In 2014, a minimum quota of 50 respondents was set for those who are of Hispanic heritage to ensure sufficient representation and to allow analysis of results specifically among Hispanic respondents.

For how many years have you lived in your current residence?

10% Less than 1 year

25% 1 to 3 years

23% 4 to 9 years

19% 10 to 19 years

23% 20 or more years

Sampling Variability

While examining the survey findings, it is helpful to keep in mind that the results are based on a sample and are therefore subject to sampling variability, often referred to as “sampling error.” The degree of uncertainty for an estimate (e.g., a particular percentage from the survey) arising from sampling variability is represented through the use of a margin of error. A sampling margin of error at the “95% confidence level” can be interpreted as providing a 95% probability that the interval created by the estimate plus and minus the margin of error contains the true value. (The “true” value would be known only if everyone in the target market was surveyed rather than just a sample.) In addition to sampling variability, results may be subject to various sources of non-sampling error (e.g., non-response bias, respondent misinterpretation of question wording, etc.). The degree of non-sampling error is not represented by the sampling margin of error and is usually unknown.

For a “sample size” of 500 survey respondents, the “maximum” margin of sampling error for percentages from the survey is +/- 4.4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Here, “maximum” refers to the margin of error being highest for proportions from the survey near 50%, while the margin of error declines as percentages get further from 50%. For example, given the same sample size of 500 respondents, a result from the survey near 10% or 90% would have a margin of sampling error of +/- 2.6 percentage points.

The margin of sampling error increases as the sample size decreases. Thus, when a question is asked of only a subset of the total sample, the associated margin of sampling error is larger than that quoted above. Also, even if a question is asked of all respondents, when examining results for a particular subgroup, the margin of sampling error depends on the number of respondents in that subgroup. For example, the “maximum” margin of sampling error would be +/- 9.8 percentage points at the “95% confidence level” when based on a subgroup of 100 survey respondents. In some parts of this report, results are shown for subgroups that include a fairly small number of respondents, and caution is recommended when thinking about these findings.

This suggests that results for different subgroups can be considered “similar” when the differences are small (i.e., small enough to be within the range of sampling error).

Results from different years can be considered similar when differences between the years are small. If the difference between two years is referred to as “statistically significant” in this report, this essentially means that the difference in the survey results is large enough to be highly confident (i.e., at the “95% confidence level”) that there has been a real change. That is, a “statistically significant” difference in the survey results from one year to the next is larger than what would usually be expected from sampling error alone.

In this report, when a result from 2014 is described as “significantly” higher (or lower) than the result from a previous year, this means that the difference between these years is “statistically significant.” Also, when one subgroup is described as “significantly more likely” (or “significantly less likely”) than another subgroup to answer in a particular way, this is based on a statistically significant difference.

Potomac River Watershed

Early in the survey, respondents were asked if they lived within the “Potomac River Watershed.” As shown in the chart below, slightly more than four-in-ten in 2014 (42%) believed that they did in fact live within the Potomac River Watershed. Similar proportions held this belief in previous years.

Do you live within the Potomac River Watershed? 100%

38% 42% 43% 42%

23% 19% 19% 19%

39% 39% 33% 32%

5% 7%

Don't know what 80% a watershed is

Not sure 60%

No40%

Yes20%

0%

2011 2012 2013 2014

Nearly four-in-ten each year were not sure if they lived within the Potomac River Watershed or did not know what a watershed is. (The response option “I do not know what a watershed is” was first added in the 2013 survey.)

When breaking the results out by area, as shown in the table below, a similar proportion in each area believed that they lived in the Potomac River Watershed.

Live Within Potomac River Fairfax Leesburg / Dumfr

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