Vegetated Private Water Quality Facilities, VPWQF, BioSwales, Rain Gardens, whatever you want to call them, you all have one and need to maintain it. Whether you do because it is "the right thing to do" to lessen your development's impact on the environment, or because your local city has or will come calling telling you that their city code requires they enforce you to do so, you need to have a resource to assist you. We are your resource.
Vegetated Water Quality Facilities are like any other facility element, they need to be maintained to work properly. Almost all properties have at least one and they are often off in the back of the property, out of sight and ignored. If not properly maintained, they often become overgrown with undesirable and noxious weeds, choking out the designed and desirable plants, taking them out of compliance.
DEQ had been working with local cities to inspect and encourage or require landowners to correct the non-complying facilities. We have been asked on numerous occasions to help our customers bring their facilities back into compliance and begin maintaining them and keep them in compliance.
Clean Water Services worked in partnership with Portland Community College to develop maintenance standards and a training program. We had 5 from our staff attend the training in May and we are now certified as a Vegetated Private Water Quality Facility Contractor. We look forward to the opportunity to help you stay in compliance or get back into compliance. We are confident we can do so with a cost effective approach.
