NPDES Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)

Storm sewer with "dump no waste, drains to streams" painted on the road in front of it.

Stormwater runoff is transported through Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) and then discharged untreated into local waterbodies. The MS4 is a conveyance or system of conveyances that is owned by a municipality that discharges to waters of the United States that is not a part of a combined sewer or sewage treatment plant. To prevent harmful pollutants from entering the waterways through MS4s, certain municipalities are required to obtain permits and develop stormwater management programs.

GVMC works with 23 entities throughout Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon counties to coordinate a regional approach to stormwater management. These entities, made up of county, city, village, township, universities, and local school districts, have collaborated on reducing pollutants in stormwater runoff to improve local waterways in the Lower Grand River Watershed. The implementation of their shared plans for education, pollution prevention, and post-construction controls has empowered the communities and their residents to protect the watershed and improve quality of life. GVMC works with these communities to develop practices and techniques to change behaviors of employees and residents to view water as a valued resource and to promote watershed protection.

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