BALTIMORE, MD (December 19, 2014) —The Baltimore City Department of Public Works is now accepting comments on its proposed watershed implementation plan (WIP) to reduce stormwater runoff and improve water quality.

“The Department of Public Works is looking forward to the public’s feedback on the watershed implementation plan,” said DPW Director Rudolph S. Chow, P.E. “The WIP will guide our work over the next four years, and we need your suggestions and ideas for making this the best plan that it can be.”

Baltimore’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit requires that the City develop a watershed implementation plan by the end of 2014 to restore 20 percent of the City’s impervious surface area.

The proposed WIP includes a list of projects and target neighborhoods, the costs of implementing these practices and programs, maintenance, partnerships, and public outreach.

Given the ultra-urban nature of Baltimore City, a diverse and comprehensive approach for meeting restoration and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements is needed. This includes:

Installing stormwater management projects, including bio-retention facilities and rain gardens, stream restoration, impervious surface removal, and tree planting;

Employing a variety of programs to improve water quality, including street sweeping, illicit discharge detection and elimination, and erosion and sediment control inspection; and

Fostering partnerships to encourage private development of stormwater management.

The Baltimore City Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) is a requirement of the City’s MS4 Permit, which was issued on December 27, 2013. The WIP is the City’s plan for achieving the 20 percent restoration requirement set out in the permit, as well as attaining applicable wasteload allocations (WLAs) for each established or approved Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for each receiving water body.

Comments on the draft watershed implementation plan are due by January 30, 2015 at 5:00 PM.

The draft plan, “Baltimore City MS4 and TMDL Watershed Implementation Plan,” is available online at www.cleanwaterbaltimore.org/ms4-wip. The document is located on the Stormwater tab under MS4 Information.

To request a hard copy of the document, please contact the Watershed Liaison at 410.396.0732 or e-mail publicworks@baltimorecity.gov (Subject line: WIP Request).

Comments can also be e-mailed to publicworks@baltimorecity.gov (Subject line: MS4 WIP).

In addition, comments can be mailed to:
MS4 WIP
Baltimore City Department of Public Works
Office of Compliance and Laboratories
3001 Druid Park Drive
Baltimore, MD 21215