United States Office of Water EPA 833-F-99-005

Environmental Protection (4203) April 1999

Agency Fact Sheet 2.3

Storm Water Phase II

Proposed Rule

Public Education and Outreach

Minimum Control Measure

This fact sheet is based on the Storm Water Phase II Proposed Rule. Therefore, the information provided herein is subject to

change upon publication of the final Phase II rule in November 1999. A revised series of fact sheets will be provided at that

time. A comprehensive list of the current fact sheets is in the text box at left.

This fact sheet profiles the proposed Public Education and Outreach minimum control measure, one

of six measures an owner or operator of a Phase II-regulated small municipal separate storm sewer

system (MS4) would be required to include in its storm water management program to meet the

conditions of its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. This fact sheet

outlines the Phase II Proposed Rule requirements and offers some general guidance on how to satisfy

them. It is important to keep in mind that the small MS4 owner or operator would have a great deal of

flexibility in choosing exactly how to satisfy the minimum control measure requirements.

Why Is Public Education and Outreach Necessary?

Having an informed and knowledgeable community is crucial to the success of a storm water

management problem since it helps to ensure the following: 

• Greater support for the storm water management program as the public gains a greater

understanding of the reasons why the program is necessary and important. Public support is

particularly beneficial when owners/operators of small MS4s attempt to institute new funding

initiatives for the program or seek volunteers to help implement the program; and

• Greater compliance with the storm water management program as the public becomes aware

of the personal responsibilities expected of them and others in the community, including the

individual actions they can take to protect or improve the quality of area waters.

What Is EPA Proposing?

Under the proposed rule, to satisfy this minimum control measure, the owner or operator of a

regulated small MS4 would need to:

 Develop and implement a public education and outreach program to distribute educational

materials to the community, or conduct equivalent outreach activities, about the detrimental

effects of storm water discharges on local waterbodies and the steps that can be taken to

reduce storm water pollution; and

 Determine the appropriate best management practices (BMPs) and measurable goals for this

minimum control measure. Some program implementation approaches, BMPs (i.e., the

program actions/activities), and measurable goals are suggested below. 

What Are Some Guidelines for Developing and Implementing This Measure?

There are three main action areas that are important when implementing a successful public

education and outreach program:

Storm Water Phase II

Proposed Rule 

Fact Sheet Series

Overview

1.0 – Storm Water Phase II

Proposed Rule Overview

Small MS4 Program

2.0 – Small MS4 Storm Water

Program Overview

2.1 – Who’s Covered? Designation

and Waivers of Regulated Small

MS4s

2.2 – Urbanized Areas: Definition

and Description

Minimum Control Measures

2.3 – Public Education and

Outreach Minimum Control

Measure

2.4 – Public Participation/

Involvement Minimum Control

Measure

2.5 – Illicit Discharge Detection and

Elimination Minimum Control

Measure

2.6 – Construction Site Runoff

Control Minimum Control Measure

2.7 – Post-Construction Runoff

Control Minimum Control Measure

2.8 – Pollution Prevention/Good

Housekeeping Minimum Control

Measure

2.9 – Permitting and Reporting:

The Process and Requirements

2.10 – Federal and State-Owned

MS4s: Program Implementation

Construction Program

3.0 – Construction Program

Overview

Industrial “No Exposure”

4.0 – Conditional No Exposure

Exemption for Industrial Activity
Fact Sheet 2.3 – Public Education and Outreach Minimum Control Measure Page 2

 Forming Partnerships

Owners or operators of regulated small MS4s would be

encouraged to enter into partnerships with other governmental

entities to fulfill this minimum control measure’s requirements. It

is generally more cost-effective to use an existing program, or to

develop a new regional or state-wide education program, than to

have numerous owners/operators developing their own local

programs. Owners/operators would be encouraged to also look to

non-governmental organizations (e.g., environmental, civic, and

industrial organizations) for assistance, since many already have

educational materials and perform outreach activities.

Using Educational Materials and Strategies

Owners or operators of regulated small MS4s could use storm

water educational information provided by their State, Tribe, EPA

Region, or environmental, public interest, or trade organizations

instead of developing their own materials. Owners/operators

should strive to make their materials and activities relevant to

local situations and issues, and incorporate a variety of strategies

to ensure maximum coverage. Some examples include:

• Brochures or fact sheets for general public and specific

audiences;

• Recreational guides to educate groups such as golfers,

hikers, paddlers, climbers, fishermen, and campers;

• Alternative information sources, such as web sites,

bumper stickers, refrigerator magnets, posters for bus and

subway stops, and restaurant placemats;

• A library of educational materials for community and

school groups;

• Volunteer citizen educators to staff a public education

task force;

• Speaking engagements for community groups;

• Event participation with educational displays at home

shows and community festivals;

• Educational programs for school-age children;

• Storm drain stenciling of storm drains with messages

such as “Do Not Dump - Drains Directly to Lake;”

• Storm water hotlines for information and for citizen

reporting of polluters;

• Economic incentives to citizens and businesses

(e.g., rebates to homeowners purchasing mulching 

lawnmowers or biodegradable lawn products);

• Tributary signage to increase public awareness of local

water resources; and

• Watershed and beach cleanups involving students and

community groups.

 Reaching Diverse Audiences

The public education program should use a mix of appropriate

local strategies to inform a variety of audiences and communities,

including minority and disadvantaged communities, as well as

children. Printing posters and brochures in more than one

language or posting large warning signs (e.g., cautioning against

fishing or swimming) near storm sewer outfalls would help to

reach audiences that are less likely to read standard materials. 

Some materials or outreach programs should also be directed

toward specific groups of commercial, industrial, and institutional

entities likely to have significant storm water impacts. For

example, information should be provided to restaurants on the

effects of grease clogging storm drains and to auto garages on the

effects of dumping used oil into storm drains.

What Would Be Appropriate Measurable Goals?

Measurable goals, which would be required for each minimum

control measure, are meant to help gauge permit compliance

and program effectiveness. The measurable goals, as well as the

BMPs, would greatly depend on the needs and characteristics of

the owner/operator and the area served by its small MS4. The

measurable goals should be chosen using an integrated approach

that would fully address the requirements and intent of the

minimum control measure. An integrated approach for this

minimum measure could include the following measurable goals:

Target Date Activity

1 year............ Brochures developed (bilingual, if appropriate)

and distributed in water utility bills; a storm water

hotline in place; volunteer educators trained.

2 years.......... A web site created; school curricula developed;

every storm drain stenciled.

3 years.......... A certain percentage of restaurants certifying to no

longer dumping grease and other pollutants down

storm sewer drains.

4 years.......... A certain percentage reduction in litter or animal

waste detected in discharges.

For Additional Information

Contact

 U.S. EPA Office of Wastewater Management

• Phone : 202 260-5816

• E-mail: SW2@epa.gov 

• Internet: www.epa.gov/owm/sw2.htm

Reference Documents

 Storm Water Phase II Proposed Rule Fact Sheet

Series. 

• Contact the U.S. EPA Water Resource Center at

202 260-7786 or at waterpubs@epa.gov 

• Internet: www.epa.gov/owm/sw2.htm

 Storm Water Phase II Proposed Rule, published on

Jan. 9, 1998 in the Federal Register (63 FR 1536).

• Internet: www.epa.gov/owm/sw2.htm