University of Illinois Facilities and Services

Stormwater Management

Stormwater is important on our campus

Stormwater is simply rainwater and snowmelt. It's important on our campus because stormwater takes pollutants on the ground and transport them via the storm drain to our creeks and rivers. The University’s Stormwater Management Program is designed to minimize this pollution and improve water quality in our receiving streams.

Permit Requirements

The Stormwater Management Program meets the requirements of the University’s permit with the Illinois EPA. Called a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer (MS4) Permit, it allows the University to discharge stormwater into its receiving streams. The Program's 49 best management practices (BMPs) include initiatives that educate students, staff, and faculty about storm water impacts, detect and eliminate illicit discharges, control storm water runoff from construction sites during and after construction, and prevent pollution from facility operations.

Collaboration

The University collaborates with neighboring communities that also have MS4 permits by sharing information and resources to best comply with requirements. The MS4 Technical Committee includes practitioners from the University, the City of Champaign, City of Urbana, Village of Savoy, and Champaign County. Committee activities include hosting stormwater conferences and sponsoring clean up events.

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