Is your City or Town prepared to cost-effectively manage stormwater discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s)? At Wright-Pierce, we are currently working with municipal clients to develop tools that help them stay in compliance with Small MS4 General Permits, including:
- Identifying ways to optimize current programs;
- Providing innovative strategies to reduce cost;
- Providing MS4 Program trainings and public education;
- Assisting with system mapping, data collection and inspections;
- Assisting with various aspects of illicit discharge detection and elimination (IDDE) program development and implementation; and
- Developing watershed and/or municipal wide nutrient management and integrated plans, budgets and implementation schedules.
Most recently, for the Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit set to go into effect July 1st of this year, we worked to develop and present two training workshops focused on compliance activities under Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) for IDDE and Good Housekeeping. Using video footage from these workshops, our project team developed a set of educational training videos for participating municipalities to use in training staff. These videos were designed to meet Small MS4 General Permit requirements for regular training of municipal staff implementing IDDE programs and Good Housekeeping measures, including Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs). Access a preview of the videos by clicking below.
Interested in learning more about how the team at Wright-Pierce can help you navigate MS4 permit requirements and manage your MS4 programs for compliance? Contact us today.
Background on the Massachusetts Small MS4 General Permit
In April of 2016, the EPA released the Final Massachusetts General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Small MS4s. This 2016 Final Permit replaces the 2003 Massachusetts General Permit and goes into effect on July 1, 2018.
Requirements to be aware of under the new permit include:
- Public Education and Outreach – eight messages aimed at four target audiences.
- IDDE – system mapping, catchment ranking and investigation, dry and wet weather screening.
- Construction Site Runoff Control – site inspections.
- Post-construction Stormwater Management – retain or treat the first 1” of runoff from impervious areas on-site from new and re-development disturbing ≥ 1 acre.
- Good Housekeeping – optimized catch basin cleaning and street sweeping.
- Development of nutrient control plans for both phosphorus and nitrogen, with 20-year implementation plans, for discharges to waters with a TMDL.
All final permit documents can be found on the EPA’s website, here.