Bartholomew County

     Soil & Water

     Conservation District

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Stormwater

Stormwater...What is an MS4?

MS4 is short for “Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System. An MS4 is a conveyance that is owned by a state, city, town, village, or other public entity that discharges to waters of the U.S., designed to collect/convey storm water, not a combined sewer and not part of a publicly owned treatment plant.

MS4's were put in place to help protect our rivers by making people aware of their watershed.

What is a Watershed?

A Watershed is the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place

Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes. They cross county, state, and national boundaries. In the continental US, there are 2,110 watersheds; including Hawaii Alaska, and Puerto Rico, there are 2,267 watersheds.

What you Can Do To Protect Your Watershed

    Urban Areas

  • Keep litter, pet wastes, leaves and debris out of street gutters and storm drains—these outlets drain directly to lake, streams, rivers and wetlands.
  • Apply lawn and garden chemicals sparingly and according to directions
  • Dispose of used oil, antifreeze, paints and other household chemicals properly—not in storm sewers or drains. If your community does not already have a program for collecting household hazardous wastes, ask your local government to establish one
  • Clean up spilled brake fluid, oil, grease and antifreeze. Do not hose them into the street where they can eventually reach local streams and lakes.
  • Control soil erosion on your property by planting ground cover and stabilizing erosion-prone areas.
  • Encourage local government officials to develop construction erosion and sediment control ordinances in your community.
  • Have your septic system inspected and pumped, at a minimum every three to five years, so that it operates properly.
  • Purchase household detergents and cleaners that are low in phosphorous to reduce the amount of nutrients discharged into our lakes, streams and coastal waters.

    • Forestry

  • Use proper logging and erosion control practices on your forest lands by ensuring proper construction, maintenance, and closure of logging roads and skid trails.
  • Report questionable logging practices to state and federal forestry and state water quality agencies.

    • Agriculture

  • Manage animal waste to minimize contamination of surface water and ground water.
  • Protect drinking water by using less pesticides and fertilizers.
  • Reduce soil erosion by using conservation practices and other applicable best management practices.
  • Use planned grazing systems on pasture and rangeland.
  • Dispose of pesticides, containers, and tank rinsate in an approved manner.

Information Courtesy of the EPA

After The Storm Video

Click to Visit: Bartholomew County's MS4 Partnership Website

The Columbus MS4 and the Bartholomew County MS4 have committed to work together along with the SWCD, SWMD, Purdue Extension, Health Department, and the Surveyors Office to promote efforts to reduce pollutants discharged into receiving waters.

                                                     

Click image to see the EPA's "Solution to Pollution" Guide