Twenty-two high-performing municipalities and one university received recognition in the fifth annual National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards. The 2019 distinctions were awarded to the winners during the annual Stormwater Luncheon at WEFTEC 2019 in Chicago, Ill. These awards celebrate administrators of municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) that perform beyond regulatory requirements.

The awards recognize performance in the categories of innovation and program management as well combined high scores in both categories. Applications for the National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards are reviewed by a broad work team of water sector experts.

The winners of the fifth annual National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards are:

Phase I Winners

• Overall Winner: Metro Water Services, Nashville, Tennessee
• Program Management: Anne Arundel County, Maryland
• Innovation: Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District, Kentucky

Phase II Winners

• Overall Winner: City of Alexandria, Virginia
• Innovation: Capitol Region Watershed District, Minnesota
• Program Management: Rogue Valley Sewer Services, Oregon

In addition to the winners, each applicant was categorized into levels signifying their status among other MS4 communities nationwide. Each MS4 received a certificate indicating Gold, Silver, or Bronze level status in both program management and innovation. To view all of the designations, as well as additional past award recipient information, visit the WEF Stormwater Institute website.

Twenty-two agencies received recognition by the fourth annual WEF National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards Program. The winners received their awards at the Stormwater Congress Luncheon held at WEFTEC® 2018 in New Orleans.

Housed within the WEF Stormwater Institute, this awards program was developed to encourage innovation among municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4s) programs nationwide. The MS4 awards are intended to inspire leaders to seek new and innovative ways to meet and exceed regulatory requirements in ways that are technically effective and financially efficient.

The three award categories are Program Management, Innovation, and Overall Highest Score, which indicates the best performing programs. Each category has winners in both Phase I and Phase II communities. Phase I communities are medium and large cities or certain counties with populations of 100,000 or more. Phase II communities are smaller entities that operate an MS4.

The 2018 National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Award winners are listed below.

Phase I Winners

• Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Division of Water Quality, Kentucky – Program Management and Overall Highest Score
• Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District, Kentucky — Innovation

Phase II Winners

• City of Alexandria, Virginia — Innovation and Overall Highest Score
• City of Auburn, Alabama – Program Management

In addition to the winners, the other applicants have been categorized into levels signifying their status among other MS4 communities nationwide. Each MS4 received a certificate indicating Silver or Gold level status in both program management and innovation. To view all of the designations, as well as additional past award recipient information, visit the WEF Stormwater Institute website.

Thirteen high-performing municipalities received recognition in the third annual National MS4 Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards on Oct. 2, 2017. These awards celebrate administrators of municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) that perform beyond regulatory requirements.

The awards recognize performance in the categories of innovation and program management as well as combined high scores in both categories. Applications for the National MS4 Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards are reviewed by a broad subcommittee of water sector experts.

The awards also are separated into two classifications based on the population of the communities they serve. The classifications are:

• Phase I, which encompassed medium or large cities with more than 100,000 customers and
• Phase II, which encompasses smaller storm sewer systems outside of heavily populated urban areas.

The winners of the 3rd annual National MS4 Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards are as follows:

Overall Highest Scores

• Phase I – City of Austin, Texas, Watershed Protection Department
• Phase II – Capitol Region Watershed District, St. Paul, Minn.

Innovation

• Phase I – Boston Water and Sewer Commission
• Phase II – Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

Program Management

• Phase I – City of Alpharetta, Ga.
• Phase II – City of Alexandria, Va.

The 2017 recipients were awarded silver or gold certificates based on their level of performance in innovation or program management.

Gold recognition in Innovation

Silver recognition in Innovation

Gold recognition in Program Management

Silver recognition in Program Management

Additional past award recipient information can be found on the WEF Stormwater Institute website.

Six high-performing municipalities left the 89th annual Water Environment Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC® 2016) in New Orleans as recipients of the National MS4 Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards.

The distinction, introduced in 2015 to celebrate administrators of MS4s that perform beyond regulatory requirements, was awarded to the winners during WEFTEC’s annual Stormwater Congress on Sept. 27.

Separated based on the population of the communities they serve, participating municipalities were classified as either Phase I or Phase II.

While all entrants received gold, silver, or bronze certificates based on their level of performance in the categories of innovation and program management, three stand-out winners from each classification were chosen in each category. Two additional winners were recognized for achieving combined high scores in both assessments.

The winners of the 2nd annual National MS4 Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards are as follows:

Overall Highest Scores

• Phase I –  Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program, Calif.
• Phase II –  Capitol Region Watershed District, Minn.

Innovation

• Phase I –  Jefferson Parish Environmental Affairs, La.
• Phase II –  City of Auburn, Ala.

Program Management

• Phase I –  City of Austin, Texas Watershed Protection Department
• Phase II –  Kitsap County Public Works, Wash.

Applications for the National MS4 Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards were reviewed by a broad steering committee of water sector experts, including representatives from WEF.

Additional past award recipient information can be found on the WEF Stormwater Institute website.

The 2015 National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards program award winners were formally announced and celebrated at the 2015 WEFTEC Stormwater Congress Luncheon on Monday, September 28 in Chicago.

The winners of the first annual National MS4 Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Awards are as follows:

Overall Highest Scores

• Phase I – Charlotte Stormwater Services, Charlotte, N.C.
• Phase II – City of Fairbanks, Alaska

Innovation 

• Phase I – City of Santa Monica, Calif. and City of Tacoma, Wash.
• Phase II – City of Alexandria, Va.

Program Management 

• Phase I – Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, Md.
• Phase II – Lafayette Consolidated Government, Lafayette, La.

Additional past award recipient information can be found on the WEF Stormwater Institute website.

Contact:

Kelsey Hurst, Senior Manager-Association Engagement
ph: 703-684-2477
e-mail: Kelsey Hurst