Environmental Compliance

Compliance with the City's state water quality permit is coordinated by the Environmental Management group within the Public Works Department. The goal is to protect and improve the health and quality of local creeks, streams, and lakes by providing the highest level of environmental protection for the Arlington community. Environmental Management works continuously to maintain regulatory compliance with applicable federal, state, and local stormwater regulations by performing regular inspections of construction sites and industrial facilities to ensure related permit compliance. Additionally, staff conducts monthly and quarterly water quality monitoring, annual in-house pollution prevention training, external and internal SWP3 inspection workshops, Regional water quality workshops, Industrial compliance workshops, Residential and Commercial business education initiatives, Emergency Hazardous response, Citizen Complaint resolutions, and Citizen Scientist Programs.

Report Environmental Concerns

Environmental concerns or ordinance violations that occur within the City of Arlington can be reported by phone to the City's Action Center or submitted via the Ask Arlington online system.

Types of Environmental Concerns to report:

  • Water quality concerns
  • Illegal dumping of trash and debris into the storm drainage system
  • Hazardous material/chemical spills
  • Sanitary sewer overflows.
  • Illegal pool discharge

Report Environmental Concerns by Phone

City of Arlington Public Works and Transportation Departments Main Line
817-459-6550

Contact the Action Center
817-459-6777

Submit an Environmental Concern Online

Please note: If you are reporting an emergency that could result in imminent danger to the health and safety of persons or property, please call 911.

Total Maximum Daily Load

The Total Maximum Daily Load or TMDL is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant allowed to enter a waterbody so that the waterbody will meet and continue to meet water quality standards for that particular pollutant. These substances are not necessarily harmful in and of themselves. For example, phosphorus is an essential nutrient, but too much phosphorus can lead to an overgrowth of algae, which in turn can make the water taste bad and reduce the amount of oxygen available to fish and other creatures that live in the water. Another example is bacteria, which occur naturally in both human and animal waste. But too much bacteria can make it more hazardous to swim or wade in a creek, lake, or river—activities called “contact recreation” in the state’s standards for water quality.

A TMDL determines a pollutant reduction target in our waterbodies and allocates load reductions necessary to the source(s) of the pollutant. The TMDL gives us a measurable way to target our efforts to protect and improve the quality of our creeks, lakes, and rivers. Typically, one TMDL is developed for each pollutant that is threatening a waterbody, as such a waterbody may have more than one TMDL in place at a time.

Watch our TMDL video to find out more!

The City of Arlington is committed to reducing pollutant loadings and improving water quality in our watersheds. Arlington is meeting state and federal TMDL requirements by engaging in the following activities:

  • Regional Water Quality pollutant load reduction efforts with other North Texas Cities
  • Bacteria Monitoring in the City’s ten (10) watersheds.
  • Partnering with University of Texas – Arlington on water quality related projects.
  • Identifying areas of necessary and focused efforts to address water quality pollutants of concern, creating measurable goals, and implementing best management practices to reduce pollutant impairments.

For more information on statewide TMDL programs, visit the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) TMDL page.

For more information on what’s happening in the North Texas Region, visit the North Central Texas Council of Government (NCTCOG) TMDL page.

Our Programs

Publications

The City of Arlington prepares and submits an annual report to the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ) each year of the permit term. The annual report addresses the requirement's listed in the City of Arlington’s TPDES Phase I MS4 permit. Generally, this report will document the stormwater related activities for the previous year, evaluate the success of each BMP relative to their measurable goals, and discuss plans for the upcoming year, including modifications to the City’s Stormwater Management Program (SWMP). The City's Creek Care Guide and other publications produced by Environmental Management staff will also be included on this page.

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