There are two elements of wastewater management: SWPPP (SWP3) – temporary, during construction (State/TCEQ) SWQMP – permanent, after construction is complete (City) SWPPP (SWP3) – Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan: The SWPPP is a document that outlines how a construction project will minimize storm water pollution. Construction sites are a well-known source of sediment and …
Asbestos – Busting the Myths
Myth #1 – Asbestos is banned and no longer used. Asbestos regulations in the United States have become more severe since 1991, but the mineral has not been banned all together. Today, over 3,000 consumer goods still contain asbestos. Many of these products can be found in your local hardware or home improvement store. Additionally, …
Mold Myths Busted!
MYTH: Buildings can, and should, be completely free of mold. FALSE: Mold spores are part of the natural environment and are all around us both when we are inside and outside. It would be virtually impossible (and totally unnecessary for most people) to remove every mold spore from a building. Greater amounts of mold can …
All About Lead
What is Lead? Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth’s crust. While it has some beneficial uses, it can be toxic to humans and animals, causing health issues. Lead-Based Paint (LBP): Lead-based paints were banned for residential use in 1978. Homes and facilities built in the U.S. before 1978 …
Disaster Recovery for Tornado Season
Texas averages 132 tornadoes a year. The majority of those tornadoes happen in the months of April, May, and June as cold weather meets the beginning of the summer heat. Tornados tend to take the path of least resistance through open fields, and unfortunately through buildings, houses, and highways. Natural disasters are difficult to prepare …
All About Mold
What is mold and what causes it? Mold is a type of fungus that is present in our natural environment. Mold spores, which are tiny microscopic ‘seeds’, can be found everywhere, including inside buildings, and are a part of the general dust found in buildings and offices. These spores can start growing on building materials …
All About Asbestos
What is Asbestos? Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring minerals that are resistant to heat and corrosion. Asbestos includes the mineral fibers chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite, actinolite and any of these materials that have been chemically treated or altered. Brief History: Although the use of asbestos dates back to …
Hurricane Harvey Project with the City of Houston
In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey devastated the Houston. The city government worked hard to get city services back up and running. With so much work to do, priorities were set. Obviously, critical services, such as water and power, had to come first – get the citizens back to work. In the mix, six Neighborhood Libraries …
Real Life Dangers of Benzene and Toluene
From the Deer Park Texas Website On Sunday, March 17, 2019 at approximately 10AM, a storage tank caught fire at the Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) Deer Park facility, located at 1943 Independence Parkway. Industry neighbors and multiple local agencies actively fought the fire to prevent it from spreading and to extinguish it as quickly as …
Hurricane Harvey Recovery
The Wikipedia entry for Hurricane Harvey reads: “Hurricane Harvey is tied with 2005’s Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record, inflicting $125 billion in damage, primarily from catastrophic rainfall-triggered flooding…” Harvey in numbers: $125 billion in damages (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Over 300,000 structures flooded Up to 500,000 cars flooded About 336,000 …