Rain and snow melt run over the many hard surfaces in urban areas, picking up pollutants along the way and carrying them into storm drains. Because storm drains discharge directly into lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands – and the water is untreated – stormwater runoff is a leading source of water pollution. Local entities that own or operate municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4) play a key role in preventing stormwater runoff from harming Minnesota’s valuable water resources. The City of St. Louis Park is one of these local entities, and is regulated by the MS4 general permit that is designed to reduce the amount of sediment and other pollutants entering state waters from stormwater systems.

The city’s MS4 permit is reissued annually through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). As part of this year’s process, the public is invited to comment by Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021, regarding the reissuance of the MS4 permit. To review the documents and provide comment, visit the MPCA's public notices webpage. On the MPCA's website, you can also learn more about the MS4 process, and to sign up to receive email notifications from MPCA about MS4-related topics. Visit the stormwater management page to learn more about the City of St. Louis Park’s stormwater management.