For all Storm water issues or complaints, please call (956) 402-4310
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) adopted a new permit Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4, Phase II), aimed at reducing contaminants and pollution in storm water runoff from municipalities for cities such as The City of Pharr and similar cities that share the same size population.
The City of Pharr has been proactive in complying with state regulations regarding pollution prevention measures. In November of 2014 The City of Pharr was granted an MS4 permit by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for our Municipal Storm Sewer System which will be active for the next 5 years. In order to maintain our state permit we are required to educate citizens of Pharr regarding storm water and outreach education programs and maintain the education of our own municipal staff as well as contractors and engineering working with local construction projects in Pharr.
The City of Pharr acknowledges that construction activities and construction sites can lead to erosion and sediment point sources of pollutants entering our storm system. The first permit cycle calls for a development and expansion of our existing efforts to reduce construction activities and maintain compliance through regular inspections, codified ordinances, and optimal Best Management Practices (BMP). All new construction sites are subjected to regular inspections at least twice weekly to ensure compliance with state Storm water rules and regulations.
As of December of 2010 a new city ordinance, (Illicit Discharge and Detention) was approved by our city commission. The purpose of this article is to provide for the health, safety, and general welfare of citizens from Pharr through the regulation of non-stormwater discharges to the storm drainage system to the maximum extent as required by federal law. This article establishes methods for controlling the introduction of pollutants into the municipal separate storm sewer system in order to comply with requirements of the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES).
Municipal Operations and Good Housekeeping Staff Training The TCEQ Stormwater permit requires the city to maintain our standards high for stormwater education and outreach measures. We provide annual training to our own municipal staff as well as for our local contractors and engineers who conduct business in Pharr for construction sites.
Public Outreach and Involvement Measurable goals were selected to quantify the success of Best Management Practices to bring enforcement action on all responsible parties if needed. Success is shown through the number of inspections, enforcement actions, compliance, and improvement in the overall quality in our discharged storm water.
Tire Ordinance-Sec. 26-188. – Residential property. The City of Pharr currently has a tire ordinance in place that helps regulate the number of tires being stored by area residents and tire shops. It is declared to be the purpose and intent of the city to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of its citizens, prevent the spread of disease and creation of nuisances, and to protect and enhance the quality of its environment. The purpose of this article is to institute and maintain a comprehensive city-wide program for tire disposal which will assure that the storage, transportation, collection, processing and disposal of tires does not adversely affect the health, safety, and well-being of the public and does not degrade the quality of the environment. Owners or renters of property within the city limit and may not cause or let cause, suffer the accumulation of scrap, waste tires within their private property or right-of-way.
Accumulation. No residential zoned property will be allowed to store more than five scrap, waste tires on or around property which they own or occupy. In case of a tire dump, the property owner, contractor, developer, builder or other person responsible for the property shall cause the property to be cleaned and to come into full compliance with this article. The city shall not be responsible for any cost of cleanup or remediation.
Right-of-way. Scrap, used tires are not to be placed on street right-of-way. Residential properties that cause or let cause the accumulation of used tires on street right-of-way shall be solely responsible for the pick-up and delivery of such used tires to a tire recycling facility at their own cost.
Enforcement. The City of Pharr Code Enforcement Division, Police Department and Public Works Department shall be responsible for enforcement of this article.
Disposal of tires. Residents can dispose of four rimless tires a month at city’s recycle center free of charge.
Violation and penalties. Any resident violating or failing to comply with any provision of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, subject to a civil penalty of $100.00 up to $1,000.00 for each offense as determined by the city’s municipal court. Each day of continued violation(s) shall constitute a separate offense.
Sec. 26-189. – Tire business permits. All tire businesses located within the city limits and its E.T.J., engaging in the resale of tires or the generation of waste tires shall be issued a permit annually by the public works department for a non-refundable fee of $35.00. Tire businesses with multiple locations must purchase a permit for each location. Tire businesses that have their own trucks utilized to transport waste tires will receive one decal included with the permit fee. A separate decal must be purchased by such business for any additional truck utilized by the tire business to transport waste tires at a cost of $20.00 per decal. If such business has a mobile tire repair road service unit the permit/decal will be $100.00 for each unit in service. The city’s Code enforcement department will conduct random inspections of such tire business for the sake of monitoring compliance with the foregoing requirement.
