The last 20 years have brought considerable change to how municipal stormwater programs establish and work to implement community goals. In the early days of stormwater planning, program managers tended to base goals solely on complying with permits. More recently, they have expanded these goals to align with other relevant efforts to improve flood resilience, economic growth opportunities, and infrastructure investments. Goals have also moved beyond the 5-year permit term as programs work toward achieving more comprehensive, long-term community goals—and securing the funds necessary to do so.
Create a vision
Establishing or revising program goals can occur at any time, but in all cases it should be a collaborative process that includes city/utility departments and the full range of stakeholders. A first step in this process is to define a vision for your stormwater program and the services it provides. Simply put, a vision is a picture of future success: how you want your program to look in the future.
After establishing an initial vision for the program, hold a series of meetings and conversations with municipal staff and external stakeholders to more firmly establish your vision. Participants can engage in site visits that highlight the community’s stormwater challenges and opportunities. Members of the community and municipal staff should feel welcome to provide input to shape the program’s long-term stormwater vision.
Through ongoing stakeholder engagement, residents and employees of the municipality will begin to feel a sense of ownership over the program as they share in its vision. For example, they might express a desire for increased stormwater capture and infiltration to maximize water table replenishment, or emphasize low impact development, green infrastructure, and other stormwater controls that reduce the impacts of stormwater on the environment and public safety.
Example Vision for a Stormwater Program
- Citizens are aware of and value the stormwater services that the municipality provides.
- The municipal stormwater program complies with all NPDES permit requirements.
- The municipal stormwater program has adequate funding and a process for identifying and prioritizing needs.
- The municipal stormwater program efficiently and proactively performs operation and maintenance activities using its asset management system.
- All municipal projects consider stormwater management as a component.
- Citizens enjoy the multiple benefits of green infrastructure approaches.
- The municipal stormwater program coordinates and leverages opportunities with other local programs and entities.
- The municipal stormwater program minimizes flooding impacts to citizens and businesses.
- The municipality effectively coordinates stormwater, drinking water, and sewer service management with a comprehensive view of overall water resource management.
Establish both short- and long-term goals
Achieving your vision will require much more time than a 5-year permit term. As such, you should set incremental goals to achieve your community’s overall vision for stormwater management over the next 10 to 20 years. Below is an example series of discrete goals you could establish to incrementally work toward your program’s vision for the community. Keep in mind that your MS4 permit may require setting and accomplishing these types of goals.
- Sample Goal 1: Engage stakeholders.
- Sample Goal 2: Ensure adequate funding for the stormwater program.
- Sample Goal 3: Achieve efficient, proactive, and cost-effective operation and maintenance (O&M) of stormwater infrastructure through asset management.
- Sample Goal 4: Improve the community’s resilience to flooding.
- Sample Goal 5: Identify opportunities for improved stormwater management and green infrastructure in public projects.
Identify key actions for each goal
Achieving goals also takes time and incremental progress. To make incremental progress, consider identifying short- and long-term actions within each goal that will be important to accomplish over time. Make sure to fully describe the activities, responsible staff, timelines, and resources for each key action.
Remember, a variety of forces (e.g., funding needs, political support, natural disasters) can result in changes over time, so your key actions and associated timelines should be adaptable and ultimately lead to community and environmental benefits.
Example Key Actions
Key actions for Sample Goal 3 of achieving efficient, proactive, and cost-effective O&M of stormwater infrastructure through asset management could include the following:
- Develop program scope, goals and objectives, and timeline and establish an asset management task force.
- Develop an asset inventory.
- Evaluate asset condition and performance.
- Estimate asset value, remaining useful life, and replacement cost.
- Establish level of service and associated performance measures.
- Assess asset criticality and risk.
- Optimize capital and O&M costs and prioritize investments (life cycle costing).
- Develop a funding strategy.
- Document asset management activities in a written plan.
- Conduct training, education, and outreach.
Resources
The additional resources below provide more information about establishing a vision and goals for your municipal stormwater program.
| Article Description | Categories | categories_hfilter |
|---|---|---|
Water Resource Management PlanAuthor: Minneapolis, MN | Developed/Updated on Date: September 5, 2019 Web Link: http://www.minneapolismn.gov/publicworks/stormwater/stormwater_local-surface The Water Resources Management Plan is a comprehensive report on the programs and practices of the sanitary and stormwater drainage systems that directly impact water resources in Minneapolis. | Funding: Establishing a Plan, Program Goals and Management: Vision and Goals | establishing-a-plan vision-and-goals |
Stormwater Discharges from Municipal SourcesAuthor: U.S. EPA | Developed/Updated on Date: January 2019 Web Link: https://www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater-discharges-municipal-sources Polluted stormwater runoff is commonly transported through municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), and then often discharged, untreated, into local water bodies. An MS4 is a conveyance or system of conveyances that is: owned by a state, city, town, village, or other public entity that discharges to waters of the U.S.; designed or used to collect or convey stormwater (e.g., storm drains, pipes, ditches); not a combined sewer; and not part of a sewage treatment plant or publicly owned treatment works (POTW). To prevent harmful pollutants from being washed or dumped into MS4s, certain operators are required to obtain National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits and develop stormwater management programs (SWMPs). The SWMP describes the stormwater control practices that will be implemented consistent with permit requirements to minimize the discharge of pollutants from the sewer system. | Good Housekeeping in Municipal Operations, Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination, Management of Construction Site Runoff, Management of Post-Construction Site Runoff, Program Goals and Management: Vision and Goals, Public Education and Outreach, Public Participation | good-housekeeping-in-municipal-operations illicit-discharge-detection-and-elimination management-of-construction-site-runoff management-of-post-construction-site-runoff vision-and-goals public-education-and-outreach public-participation |
Rainfall to Results: The Future of StormwaterAuthor: Water Environment Federation | Developed/Updated on Date: September 2015 Web Link: https://wefstormwaterinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Rainfall-to-Results.pdf Rainfall to Results: The Future of Stormwater, published by the WEF Stormwater Institute, sets a vision for the future of sustainable stormwater management. Based on input from stormwater professionals, this report charts a path forward for the sector with broad objectives and more specific actions for achieving a healthier water environment and more vibrant communities. This report marks the beginning of an ongoing dialogue and a series of future meetings that will record new successes and challenges while refining the path forward. | Funding: Dedicated Revenue Source, Program Goals and Management: Vision and Goals | dedicated-revenue-source vision-and-goals |
Quick Resource Guide to the MS4 ProgramAuthor: Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission Water Resource Center | Developed/Updated on Date: June 2016 This guide was written for municipalities that own and operate an MS4. The guide begins with the history and background of MS4s and regulations. Then it provides an overview of the six minimum control measures (MCMs) of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System MS4 permit and their associated best management practices (BMPs). Examples provided of BMPs are not meant to be the only available solutions—there are many other BMPs. | Good Housekeeping in Municipal Operations, Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination, Management of Construction Site Runoff, Management of Post-Construction Site Runoff, Program Goals and Management: Developing a Program, Program Goals and Management: Vision and Goals, Public Education and Outreach, Public Participation | good-housekeeping-in-municipal-operations illicit-discharge-detection-and-elimination management-of-construction-site-runoff management-of-post-construction-site-runoff developing-a-program vision-and-goals public-education-and-outreach public-participation |
New Jersey Stormwater Best Management Practices ManualAuthor: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Watershed Management | Developed/Updated on Date: April 2004, Last Revised November 2018 Web Link: https://www.njstormwater.org/bmp_manual2.htm The New Jersey Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual (BMP manual) was developed to provide guidance to address the standards in the Stormwater Management Rules, N.J.A.C. 7:8 and provides examples of ways to meet the standards. The methods referenced in the BMP manual are one way of achieving the standards. | Management of Post-Construction Site Runoff, Operations: Green Infrastructure, Program Goals and Management: Developing a Program, Program Goals and Management: Vision and Goals | management-of-post-construction-site-runoff green-infrastructure developing-a-program vision-and-goals |
MS4 Program Evaluation GuidanceAuthor: U.S. EPA | Developed/Updated on Date: January 2007 Web Link: https://www3.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/ms4guide_withappendixa.pdf An MS4 program evaluation is ultimately based on the requirements in the MS4 permit and commitments made in the stormwater management program (SWMP). These should serve as the primary references for a specific MS4 program evaluation, with this Guidance used as a tool to help assess compliance with the SWMP plan and the permit. The evaluator may also recommend additional activities that should be conducted by the permittee to improve the SWMP. The term evaluation can refer to an audit, inspection, or screening process depending on the level of detail utilized. It is important to keep in mind that this Guidance is not an enforcement “how to” document, but can be used to assist in the enforcement process by describing a process for consistently and accurately assessing and documenting the compliance status of permittees based on permit or SWMP requirements. Notes, checklists, and reports developed as a result of an evaluation will be helpful when justifying and generating enforcement actions. | Good Housekeeping in Municipal Operations, Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination, Management of Construction Site Runoff, Management of Post-Construction Site Runoff, Program Goals and Management: Vision and Goals, Public Education and Outreach, Public Participation | good-housekeeping-in-municipal-operations illicit-discharge-detection-and-elimination management-of-construction-site-runoff management-of-post-construction-site-runoff vision-and-goals public-education-and-outreach public-participation |
Measurable Goals Guidance for Phase II Small MS4sAuthor: U.S. EPA | Developed/Updated on Date: Not dated Web Link: https://www3.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/measurablegoals.pdf According to the Stormwater Phase II Rule, small MS4 owners/operators must reduce pollutants in stormwater to the maximum extent practicable (MEP) to protect water quality. The regulations specify that compliance with the MEP requirement can be attained by developing a stormwater management plan that addresses the six minimum control measures described in the stormwater regulations. These six minimum measures are described in detail in a series of fact sheets developed by EPA. One component of the stormwater management program is to select measurable goals to evaluate the effectiveness of individual control measures and the stormwater management program as a whole. This guidance is designed to assist small MS4 operators to comply with the measurable goals stormwater permitting requirements. The guidance presents an approach for MS4 operators to develop measurable goals as part of their stormwater management plan. This guidance is divided into five main parts: | Communication and Outreach: Outreach Campaigns, Good Housekeeping in Municipal Operations, Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination, Management of Construction Site Runoff, Management of Post-Construction Site Runoff, Program Goals and Management: Developing a Program, Program Goals and Management: Vision and Goals, Public Education and Outreach, Public Participation | outreach-campaigns good-housekeeping-in-municipal-operations illicit-discharge-detection-and-elimination management-of-construction-site-runoff management-of-post-construction-site-runoff developing-a-program vision-and-goals public-education-and-outreach public-participation |
Evolution of Stormwater Permitting and Program Implementation ApproachesAuthor: U.S. EPA | Developed/Updated on Date: May 17, 2018 In December 2017, EPA Region 9, in partnership with the State of California and EPA Headquarters, convened a small group of stormwater professionals from across the country for a workshop designed to address the need for an overall evaluation of the MS4 program that focused on improving program implementation and MS4 permitting practices and approaches. The workshop—titled Improving Stormwater Permitting and Program Implementation Approaches—engaged 29 national experts from EPA, state Clean Water Act permitting agencies, local stormwater programs, national associations, consulting firms, and nonprofit organizations in facilitated discussions to identify tangible ways to enhance permit efficiency and effectiveness to help build state and local program capacity. Sessions focused on stormwater program implementation requirements in permits, including minimum control measures (MCMs), and water quality-based control requirements. A follow-on workshop in March 2018 assessed stormwater program monitoring, evaluation, tracking, and reporting provisions. This report aims to provide a synthesis of participant ideas and contributions along with other existing research to identify the most impactful opportunities for strengthening MS4 permits and program implementation. The document is organized by workshop session and includes an overview of the discussion, specific actions, case studies, summaries of known efforts related to the recommendations, and some indication of commitment by groups to make progress related to a given recommendation. | Program Goals and Management: Developing a Program, Program Goals and Management: Vision and Goals | developing-a-program vision-and-goals |
A Strategic Approach to Planning for and Assessing the Effectiveness of Stormwater ProgramsAuthor: California Stormwater Quality Association | Developed/Updated on Date: February 2015 The primary purpose of this guidance document is to establish specific “how to” guidance with examples for managers in planning and assessing their MS4 programs. It approaches effectiveness assessment as an integral part of a comprehensive strategic planning process. It is designed for use by MS4 program managers involved in developing and implementing all aspects of stormwater programs, but it should also be useful to a variety of dischargers regulated under other stormwater permits and programs (e.g., construction and industrial), as well as other environmental managers with a need for guidance on management and assessment principles. A structured approach to planning and assessing stormwater programs can help managers ensure that their programs are properly targeted, determine whether intended results are being efficiently and cost-effectively achieved, relate implementation results to conditions in urban runoff and receiving waters, and, ultimately, help guide managers toward implementation strategies with the greatest opportunity for long-term success. | Good Housekeeping in Municipal Operations, Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination, Management of Construction Site Runoff, Management of Post-Construction Site Runoff, Program Goals and Management: Developing a Program, Program Goals and Management: Long-Term Planning, Program Goals and Management: Vision and Goals, Public Education and Outreach, Public Participation, Water Quality Outcomes: Stormwater Monitoring | good-housekeeping-in-municipal-operations illicit-discharge-detection-and-elimination management-of-construction-site-runoff management-of-post-construction-site-runoff developing-a-program long-term-planning vision-and-goals public-education-and-outreach public-participation stormwater-monitoring |