EPA Stormwater Program - Office of Wastewater Management
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National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
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NPDES Topics Alphabetical Index Glossary About NPDES

Stormwater Program

OVERVIEW

Image of rainstorm over a municipality Stormwater runoff is generated when precipitation from rain and snowmelt events flows over land or impervious surfaces and does not percolate into the ground. As the runoff flows over the land or impervious surfaces (paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops), it accumulates debris, chemicals, sediment or other pollutants that could adversely affect water quality if the runoff is discharged untreated. The primary method to control stormwater discharges is the use of best management practices (BMPs). In addition, most stormwater discharges are considered point sources and require coverage under an NPDES permit. For more information about the Stormwater program, visit the Stormwater Basic Information page.

Most states are authorized to implement the Stormwater NPDES permitting program. EPA remains the permitting authority in a few states, territories, and on most land in Indian Country.

WHAT CAN I FIND ON THIS WEB SITE?

This section contains technical and regulatory information about the NPDES stormwater program. It is organized according to the three types of regulated stormwater discharges – municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), construction activities, and industrial activities. It also provides links to general stormwater topics and tools available.

To access the full list of NPDES stormwater information, such as stormwater state contacts and stormwater state web sites, use the navigation tool box on the right side of this page.

To search for additional information within the NPDES program, enter a keyword in the Search NPDES box at the top of this page.

Storm Drain with No Dumping - Drains to Streams Stencil

   Basic Information

Aerial view of a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)

   Municipal Information


Featured Information
  • Proposed Stormwater Rulemaking
  • Public Comments on November 12, 2010 Memorandum on Establishing TMDL WLAs for Stormwater Sources (PDF) (2 pp, 108 KB)
  • National Research Council Report on Urban Stormwater (PDF) (529 pp, 10.5MB)
  • National Menu of BMPs
  • Stormwater Webcasts
  • Forest and Logging Roads

Featured Information
  • MS4 Permit Improvement Guide (PDF) (119 pp, 1.5MB)
  • Road-Related Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s)
  • Managing Stormwater in Your Community: A Guide for Building an Effective Post-Construction Program Exit EPA Site
  • Urban Stormwater Retrofit Manual (PDF) (262 pp, 11.7MB) Exit EPA Site
  • IDDE Manual and Supporting Materials
  • Stormwater Case Studies

 

Silt Fence at Construction Site

   Construction Information

Empty and Unused 55-Gallon Drums Outside of an Industrial Facility

   Industrial Information


Featured Information
  • Regulation of Oil and Gas Construction Activities
  • 2012 Construction General Permit (CGP)
  • Construction SWPPP Guidance
  • Low Erosivity Waiver (LEW) Calculator
  • CGP Electronic Notice of Intent (eNOI) System

Featured Information
  • Industrial Stormwater Monitoring and Sampling Guide
  • Industrial SWPPP Guidance
  • Water Locator Tool
  • 2008 Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP)
  • Industrial Sector Fact Sheets
  • MSGP Electronic Notice of Intent (eNOI) System

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Stormwater Information
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Last updated on February 16, 2012 12:05 PM
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