Project MS4
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems

Penn State Storm Water Initiative

The University has joined forces with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to improve the quality of storm water run-off from Penn State property. The DEP is requiring all designated communities and other entities, such as Penn State who operate separate storm water systems, to implement storm water management programs. All members of the Penn State community can help with these storm water improvement efforts. If faculty, staff, and students can learn to make some small behavioral changes, their individual actions can have a positive effect on the water quality of our watershed.

Storm water is just precipitation that flows across the ground and pavement. The precipitation can be in the form of rain, or snow and ice that melts and drains into what are called storm sewers. These are the drains normally seen at street corners and low spots all over campus. They are connected to a series of underground pipes that outlet to local streams. It becomes a problem when the storm water picks up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants as it flows across pavement or erodes stream banks. Sometimes pollution is not picked up by storm water run off, but enters storm sewers where people dump pollution such as antifreeze, motor oil, carpet cleaning liquid, or paint into storm drains. These are called illicit discharges and can be simply eliminated by choosing proper disposal techniques.

Our storm water program includes six minimum control measures: public education, public involvement, construction and post-construction runoff management, illicit discharge detection and elimination. There will also be a new emphasis on good housekeeping and general pollution prevention.

Eleven of Penn State's 24 campuses are located in areas that have been designated as "municipal separate storm sewer systems," also known as MS4s, by the US Environmental Protection Agency. This map shows these locations: Abington, Behrend, Delaware, Harrisburg, Hershey, University Park, York, Altoona, Hazelton, Shenango and Worthington.

Things You Can Do To Help

• Properly dispose of hazardous substances, never pour used oil, paint, or cleaning supplies into storm drains
• Use pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides, properly and efficiently to prevent excess runoff
• Report any signs of leaking oil or other chemicals from construction sites at University Park to the Office of Physical Plant at 865-4731
• Always pick up pet waste since storm water can carry into the storm sewers and into streams
• Store materials indoors that could pollute storm water or use non-leaking containers for outdoor storage

For additional information on the Penn State Stormwater management program contact Paul Ruskin at 863-9620 or pdr2@psu.edu.