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Storm Water Management

Click here for Tree & Storm Water Advisory Board information

Storm water runoff is regulated at the Federal level by the Environmental Protection Agency. Storm water regulations help ensure mitigation of pollutants and potential pollutants in storm water. The public plays an active role in helping keep storm water clean. The best way to protect our water sources through storm water management is to limit what enters storm sewers and waterways. The public is warned against dumping anything but clean water into storm sewers. Dumping hazardous materials into the storm drainage system is illegal.

The intent of the federal storm water regulation is to improve water quality by reducing or eliminating contaminants in storm water. Storm water is defined as precipitation runoff, surface runoff and drainage, street runoff, and snow melt runoff.

Storm water runoff from areas where industrial activities occur may contain toxics (for example, lead, zinc, etc.) and conventional pollutants such as oil and grease, fertilizers, sediment from construction sites, and other industrial site contaminants, when material management practices allow exposure to storm water. In addition, illicit connections to storm sewers may also exist and introduce contaminants through storm sewer systems. Eventually these contaminants have the potential to effect additional downstream receiving waters. Contaminants introduced in storm water runoff or into storm sewers may impact drinking water sources, waters protected for recreation, waters protected for aquatic life as well as other beneficial uses.

Regulation of storm water in municipalities may require a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit, which the City holds and is issued by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The IDNR is delegated by the US Environmental Protection Agency to oversee the permitting. Click here for a PDF copy of North Liberty NPDES Permit for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) regulation.

Click here to view North Liberty's schedule for implementing MS-4 programs (PDF document).

Residents are encouraged to submit complaints to the City on storm water issues, to help keep track of potential problems in the City. Click here for a PDF version of the Storm Water Complaint Form.

To report any issues, call the North Liberty Storm Water Hotline at 319-626-5700.