See Chapter 122, Article IV
Stormwater Management in the City of Jackson
Preventing polluted materials from entering the City's storm sewers helps to keep rivers such as the Pearl River clean.
Background
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II requirements issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency seek to implement a program to protect the quality of surface waters (such as lakes and streams) by controlling pollution from storm water discharges. What this means for the City of Jackson, and most other cities, is enhanced storm water sewer system maintenance, and the implementation of new storm water management activities.
Why is a Stormwater Quality Protection Ordinance Needed?
In the past, storm sewer system planning focused on flood control, utilizing sound practices of sewer system sizing, flood routing, and storm water detention. The growing pressures of urbanization and increased federal regulation have dictated that modern storm water system management must take a total water resources management point of view, considering not only the volume of storm runoff, but also pollution prevention.
Most people think storm water runoff is a relatively harmless, natural occurrence, and do not realize it has the potential to pollute one of our most precious natural resources, our lakes and streams. Storm water frequently has high levels of sediment, litter, phosphorus, nitrogen, heavy metals, oil, grease, and organic materials. Soil erosion annual deposits approximately tons of sediment/silt into our creeks, streams, rivers and lakes in Mississippi. It also compromises the effectiveness of our storm sewer system.
Does stormwater runoff affect only the citizens of Jackson?
No. The ditches, creeks, and streams in the City drain into rivers that flow outside of the City. The Pearl River and the Big Black River are all affected by the City of Jackson's stormwater run-off. Common pollutants, such as oil and grease from roads and parking lots, pesticides, sediment, and carelessly discarded trash, such as cigarette butts, paper wrappers, and plastic bottles, can all flow well outside of Jackson and even as far as the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.
The City of Jackson has chosen to take a socially responsible, proactive approach to systematically manage the storm water discharged by our community. By managing runoff and preventing the pollutants from entering the environment, we are striving to avoid the potentially high costs of flooding, future treatment and increased federal regulation.
City Programs
As part of the City's stormwater management program, the City is developing and will be implementing programs through the next five years of our permit covering these areas:
Public Education and Outreach
Public Participation and Involvement
Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
Construction Site Runoff Control
Post Construction Runoff Control in New Development and Redevelopment
Pollution Prevention for Municipal Operations
Questions or Comments?
For more information contact the Engineering Division at:
City of Jackson
Department of Public Works - Engineering Division
200 S. President St. Room 424
Jackson, MS 39201
(601) 960-1193
