MS4 Permit Services

List of MS4 servicesWhat is an MS4?

A Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, referred to as an MS4, is permitted by states to meet the requirements outlined by the Clean Water Act. States issue MS4 permits to cities and counties to allow these entities to discharge stormwater to the waters of the state.

What are the components of an MS4 Permit?

To comply with the MS4 permit, municipalities must implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) under six Minimum Control Measures (MCMs).

Common Acronyms

BMP — Best Management Practice

GIS — Geographic Information System

HHW — Household Hazardous Waste

KDHE — Kansas Department of Health and Environment

MCM — Minimum Control Measure

mg/L — Milligrams per Liter

MS4 — Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System

NPDES — National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

SESC — Soil Erosion and Sediment Control

SMP — Stormwater Management Plan

SWPPP — Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan

TMDL – Total Maximum Daily Load

How can PEC support your MS4?

A room of people attending an MS4 Training MCM 1: Public Education and Outreach

MCM 1 consists of implementing a public education program. This includes the distribution of educational materials to the community, conducting outreach activities to address the impacts of stormwater discharges on water bodies, and the steps the public can take to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff.

PEC provides in-person and remote education and outreach training. We can assist you with your community and industry training, in-house staff training requirements, and outreach to schools.

Photo of someone picking up trash MCM 2: Public Involvement and Participation

MCM 2 consists of implementing a public involvement and participation program to solicit public comment and recommendations regarding the BMPs and measurable goals utilized by the city to comply with the permit. The city will comply with state and local public notice requirements when implementing a public involvement and participation program.

Public involvement and participation can be combined with community events including festivals, stream clean-ups, community rain garden maintenance, and other events. PEC can help with the planning and staffing of these involvement activities.

Pond with murky discharge water MCM 3: Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination

MCM 3 consists of developing, implementing, and enforcing a program to detect and eliminate illicit discharges or other non-stormwater discharges into the storm sewer system.

Identifying and tracking illicit discharges is important to this process. PEC has developed field collection systems that can help you collect your data, store, and track it in your Geographic Information System (GIS).

Photo of three tractors in a construction zone MCM 4: Construction Site Stormwater Run-off Control

MCM 4 consists of developing, implementing, and enforcing a program to reduce pollutants in any stormwater runoff to the MS4 for construction sites disturbing one acre or more.

PEC assists with development and implementation of necessary construction site run-off control manuals, including soil erosion and sediment control and erosion and sediment control Best Management Practices (BMPs). We can also develop a software tracking system to track inspections and related tasks.

Photo of pond with stormwater MCM 5: Post-Construction Stormwater Management

MCM 5 includes the implementation and enforcement of a program to address post-construction stormwater runoff from new development and redevelopment projects that disturb greater than or equal to one acre that discharge into the MS4.

PEC can support you in the development and implementation of your post-construction stormwater management manuals that specify BMPs required for new development.

Photo of clear lake and trees MCM 6: Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping

In MCM 6, the city will develop and implement an operation and maintenance program that includes employee training to prevent and reduce stormwater pollution from municipal operations activities, such as a park and open space maintenance, new construction and land disturbances, and stormwater system maintenance.

PEC develops Standard Operating Procedures for various tasks, such as pesticide application and fleet maintenance. We can also inventory your existing stormwater system and develop an online storm sewer map that is accessible to the public.

How can PEC support your Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)? The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) can issue a TMDL to a municipality for sediments, bacteria, or nutrients.

Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) are established for impaired waters on the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) list. The purpose of the TMDL is to define the allowable pollutant load that may enter those impaired waters.

The permittee is required to review, update, develop, and implement BMPs which will reduce the discharge of TMDL regulated pollutants from the MS4 to impaired waters.

PEC provides assistance with analyzing water quality monitoring reports, submitting Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) to the KDHE, and the implementation of additional BMPs.

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