Consultant says Butner is meeting MS4 requirements; council asked about data-center discharges

Christina Conchilla, manager with Rocktellus' stormwater consulting division, briefed Butner Town Council on the town's annual NPDES MS4 (municipal separate storm sewer system) program and the stormwater management plan required by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.

Conchilla summarized the six minimum control measures required by the permit: public education and outreach, public involvement and participation, illicit-discharge detection and elimination, construction-site runoff control, post-construction stormwater management, and pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations. She said Butner is on its third five-year permit term (Falls Lake watershed) and submitted a new stormwater management plan after the state updated the template.

Conchilla described outreach efforts (school presentations, Summerfest booth), an inspection program that includes annual outfall inspections and a stormwater hotline, and employee training for public works and planning staff. She said some stormwater measures are funded by the town's stormwater utility, active since 2012, and noted the town must submit an annual report to DEQ by the end of August and prepare for audits during the permit term.

During Q&A residents asked how stormwater rules apply to large users such as data centers. Conchilla and staff explained that plan-review requirements are driven by land disturbance thresholds and that cooling-water discharges from industrial processes would typically be regulated under separate industrial/discharge permits rather than through MS4 rules. Town staff added that land-development regulations and the town's stormwater engineer review disturbed-area thresholds and plan details.

Conchilla said the consultant and staff will continue tracking required inspections, operation and maintenance of stormwater control measures and the annual reporting schedule.

The council did not take action; the presentation served as the town's annual report to council as required by DEQ.