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A municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) is a means of transportation, individually or in a system, (e.g. roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels, storm drains, etc.) that are: | A municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) is a means of transportation, individually or in a system, (e.g. roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels, storm drains, etc.) that are: | ||
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*owned or operated by a public entity (e.g. cities, townships, counties, military bases, hospitals, prison complexes, highway departments, universities, etc.) with jurisdiction over disposal of sewage, industrial wastes, stormwater, or other wastes. This includes special districts under State law (sewer, flood control, or drainage districts, etc.), an authorized Indian tribal organization, or a designated and approved management agency under section 208 of the Clean Water Act; | *owned or operated by a public entity (e.g. cities, townships, counties, military bases, hospitals, prison complexes, highway departments, universities, etc.) with jurisdiction over disposal of sewage, industrial wastes, stormwater, or other wastes. This includes special districts under State law (sewer, flood control, or drainage districts, etc.), an authorized Indian tribal organization, or a designated and approved management agency under section 208 of the Clean Water Act; | ||
*designed or used for collecting or transporting stormwater; | *designed or used for collecting or transporting stormwater; |
A municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) is a means of transportation, individually or in a system, (e.g. roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels, storm drains, etc.) that are:
The MPCA regulates owners or operators of certain MS4s under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System/State Disposal System (NPDES/SDS). The MPCA regulates the following:
Owners or operators of MS4s that meet the above criteria must submit an MS4 General Permit to the MPCA. Under the permit, the owner or operator is required to reduce the amount of sediment and pollution carried from stormwater to surface and ground water to the maximum extent practicable. Additionally, the permit requires the system owner or operator to develop a stormwater pollution prevention program (SWPPP) that incorporates best management practices (BMPs) most appropriate to their MS4.
Note: The cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are Large MS4s (population of 250,000 or more) and received reissued individual NPDES/SDS permits on January 21, 2011.