7.1. SR 05-04-2020
Request for Action
To Item Number
Mayor and City Council 7.1
Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by
Public Hearings May 4, 2020 Brandon Wisner, Stormwater Coordinator
Item Description Reviewed by
2019 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
(NPDES) System Annual Report
Reviewed by
Action Requested
1. Open public hearing to take comments on the city Stormwater Program.
2. No other action required.
Background/Discussion
The City of Elk River is regulated as a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) under the NPDES by
the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). The permit was reissued in 2013 and runs on a 5-year cycle.
Our permit is past the 5-year cycle but only expires when the new one is issued, which keeps being postponed.
The MPCA has proposed adding a new fee in order to support their program. This fee would be paid by a
MS4 permittee based on the population of the municipality. Ours could be a minimum of $10,000. This has
not been approved and staff is working the League of Minnesota Cities Stormwater Coalition to substantially
reduce this or eliminate this charge altogether.
The permit prescribes goals in the following categories: Public Education and Outreach; Public Participation
and Involvement; Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination; Construction Site Runoff Control; and
Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping. The city is required to hold an annual public hearing to receive
feedback on the stormwater program.
The following goals were met by the city in 2019:
Staff has continued to make progress planning for future projects related to nutrient reduction goals
for Lake Orono as the requirement and meeting above listed minimum control measures.
Continue to investigate potential sources of illicit discharges (1 identified in 2019).
Maintain, repair and upgrade old infrastructure in the stormwater system with street upgrades.
Financial Impact
There are no financial impacts associated with the action requested.
Attachments
None
The Elk River Vision
A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional
service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity