Six organizations have been selected to receive the Water Environment Federation’s (WEFs) 2024 National MS4 Awards.
The awards recognize Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) programs for their innovative stormwater and green infrastructure programming efforts. WEF established the awards program in 2015 in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The EPA implemented the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES) permit program in 1972 under the Clean Water Act. The NPDES was designed to help address water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into the water of the U.S.
The EPA requires MS4s to obtain an NPDES permit if they are:
- Owned by a public entity that discharges into U.S. waters
- Designed to collect or convey stormwater
- Not combined sewers
- Not part of a sewage treatment plant or publicly owned treatment works (POTW)
Under permit requirement, the MS4 must create a stormwater management program plan outlining practices that align with the permit to control stormwater and minimize the discharge of pollutants from their storm sewer system.
“Stormwater management is one of the most dynamic segments of the water sector,” WEF Chief Mission Officer John Ikeda said in a press release. “This year’s MS4 award recipients demonstrate their ability to go above and beyond their permit requirements to help lead the way and set an example for managing stormwater around the world.”
Depending on their size, MS4s are designed as either Phase I or Phase II.
WEF 2024 National MS4 Award recipients
The recipients of the 2024 MS4 awards are:
MS4 Phase I overall category
Anne Arundel County Maryland Department of Public Works, Bureau of Watershed Protection Restoration
MS4 Phase I program management category
City of Dayton, Ohio, Department of Water
MS4 Phase I innovation category
Howard County Maryland Department of Public Works
MS4 Phase II overall category
City of Alexandria, Virginia
MS4 Phase II program management category
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department
MS4 Phase II innovation category
City of Kirkland, Washington
