Communities across the State of North Carolina must manage rainfall that runs off roads, streets and parking lots. This runoff is called stormwater. To manage stormwater, many treatment devices, called BMPs, have been built. These devices include: wet retention ponds, bioretention areas, swales, stormwater wetlands, permeable pavement, rainwater harvesting systems, proprietary devices, and level spreaders. BMPs must have annual, and sometimes more frequent, inspection and maintenance to perform as intended. Maintenance includes hydrologic and water quality function, landscape functions, and consideration of impacts on human health and safety. Many communities across North Carolina are now requiring annual inspection, and if called for, maintenance of BMPs. BMPs are not managed as standard landscape features, as they are water quality treatment devices, and specialized training is needed to perform inspection and maintenance activities.