What is the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Storm Water Program?

Polluted storm water runoff is a leading cause of impairment to the nearly 40 percent of surveyed U.S. water bodies which do not meet water quality standards. Over land or via storm sewer systems, polluted runoff is discharged, often untreated, directly into local water bodies. When left uncontrolled, this water pollution can result in the destruction of fish, wildlife, and aquatic life habitats; a loss in aesthetic value; and threats to public health due to contaminated food, drinking water supplies, and recreational waterways.

Mandated by Congress under the Clean Water Act, the NPDES Storm Water Program is a comprehensive two-phased national program for addressing the non-agricultural sources of storm water discharges which adversely affect the quality of our Nation's waters. The Program uses the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting mechanism to require the implementation of controls designed to prevent harmful pollutants from being washed by storm water runoff into local water bodies.

¹National Water Quality Inventory (1996), available on-line at http://www.epa.gov/305b/

What Information and resources are available to help Storm Water Program stakeholders?

• Municipal Separate Storm Sewers Systems (MS4)
• Industrial Activities
• Construction Activities

Storm Water Resources

In addition to the information provided through the links above, interested stakeholders are provided with a variety of storm water resources, including;

• Training courses and materials related to storm water management.
• Permits/Forms applicable to areas where EPA is the NPDES permitting authority.
• Storm Water Best Management Practices (BMPs) for construction sites, industrial facilities, and MS4 programs.
• Fact Sheets on the Phase II Rule.
• The "Tool Box" for the Storm Water Phase II Program which comprises EPA efforts to aid program implementation.
• NPDES Storm Water Library of EPA regulations, policy, guidance, and other related materials (available on line).
• Storm Water Program Bibliography of documents and articles by EPA and non-EPA authors (reference list only).
• Web Links to helpful web sites related to storm water management.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding Phase I and Phase II of the NPDES Storm Water Program are also available.

Who should be contacted for more information?