WEF Announces Awardees For Stormwater Innovation And Management

The Water Environment Federation is proud to recognize 16 U.S. communities for excellence in municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) program management and innovation as part of the 2021 National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards program.

“Stormwater management is one of the most dynamic segments of the water profession,” said WEF President Lynn Broaddus. “This year's MS4 Award winners demonstrate that they keep up with the ever-changing landscape of regulations, technologies, and best practices, lead the way on trends, and set an example for stormwater programs around the world."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency separates MS4s into two classifications based on the population of the communities they serve. MS4 Awards are distributed according to these classifications – Phase I, which encompasses cities with more than 100,000 customers, and Phase II, which encompasses smaller storm sewer systems, including public universities, departments of transportation, hospitals, and prisons in addition to small or mid-sized municipalities.

The winners of the 2021 MS4 Awards are:

• Phase I Overall Winner: Anne Arundel County Bureau of Watershed Protection & Restoration, Maryland
• Phase II Overall Winner: Capitol Region Watershed District, Minnesota
• Phase I Program Management Winner: City and County of Honolulu MS4 Program, Hawaii
• Phase II Program Management Winner: Central Massachusetts Regional Stormwater Coalition
• Phase I Innovation Winner: Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources, Georgia
• Phase II Innovation Winner: City of Alexandria, Virginia

In addition to the winners, each applicant is designated a Gold, Silver, or Bronze-level status in both program management and innovation, which signifies their status among other MS4 communities across the country.

Gold Recognition in Program Management

Phase I

• City and County of Honolulu MS4 Program, Hawaii

Phase II

• Capitol Region Watershed District, Minnesota

Silver Recognition in Program Management

Phase I

• Anne Arundel County Bureau of Watershed Protection & Restoration, Maryland
• City of Birmingham – Planning, Engineering, and Permits, Alabama
• Fairfax County Government, Virginia
• Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources, Georgia
• Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District, Kentucky

Phase II

• Central Massachusetts Regional Stormwater Coalition
• City of Alexandria, Virginia

Bronze Recognition in Program Management

Phase I

• City of Dayton Department of Water, Ohio
• Jefferson Parish Environmental Affairs, Louisiana

Phase II

• City of Bothell, Washington
• City of Greenwood, Indiana
• City of San Marcos Stormwater Management, Texas

Gold Recognition in Innovation

Phase I

• Anne Arundel County Bureau of Watershed Protection & Restoration, Maryland
• Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources, Georgia
• Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District, Kentucky

Phase II

• Capitol Region Watershed District, Minnesota
• City of Alexandria, Virginia

Silver Recognition in Innovation

Phase I

• City of Birmingham - Planning, Engineering, and Permits, Alabama
• City of Dayton, Department of Water, Ohio
• City of Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Fairfax County Government, Virginia
• Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, Maryland
• City and County of Honolulu MS4 Program, Hawaii

Phase II

• Central Massachusetts Regional Stormwater Coalition

Bronze Recognition in Innovation

Phase I

• Jefferson Parish Environmental Affairs, Louisiana

Phase II

• City of Bothell, Washington
• City of Greenwood, Indiana