Stormwater Management Program and NPDES

Polluted storm water runoff is often transported to Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) and discharged into local rivers and streams without treatment. The EPA's Stormwater Phase II Rule establishes an MS4 program to improve the waterways by reducing the pollutants that stormwater picks up and carries into storm sewer systems.

Common pollutants include oil and grease from roadways, pesticides from lawns, sediment from construction sites, and trash such as cigarette butts, paper wrappers, and plastic bottles. These pollutants can impair waterways, discouraging recreational use of the resource, contaminating drinking water supplies, and interfering with wildlife habitats.

In 1990, the EPA promulgated rules establishing Phase I of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater program. The Phase I program requires operators of "medium" and "large" MS4s, who generally serve populations of over 100,000 people, to implement a stormwater management program to control polluted discharges. The Stormwater Phase II Rule extends coverage of the NPDES stormwater program to certain "small" MS4s, but takes a slightly different approach to program development and implementation.

Listed below are documents from the City of Des Plaines' efforts as part of its federal NPDES MS4 Phase II permit. A full explanation of the NPDES MS4 program can be found on the USEPA and IEPA websites.

Annual Reports

• 2023-24 NPDES MS4 Annual Report(PDF, 15MB)
• 2022-23 NPDES MS4 Annual Report(PDF, 16MB)
• 2021-22 NPDES MS4 Annual Report(PDF, 646KB)
• 2020-21 NPDES MS4 Annual Report(PDF, 531KB)
• 2019-20 NPDES MS4 Annual Report(PDF, 470KB)
• 2018-19 NPDES MS4 Annual Report(PDF, 442KB)

Additional Documents

• MS4 EPA Notice of Intent 2013(PDF, 6MB)
• General NPDES Permit ILR40(PDF, 815KB)
• General NPDES Permit ILR10(PDF, 864KB)

Most older cities in the United States were built with combined sewer systems containing a single pipe designed to collect rainwater runoff, domestic sewage and industrial wastewater.

Most of the time, combined sewer systems transport all of their wastewater to a sewage treatment plant where it is treated and then discharged to a body of water. However, during periods of heavy rainfall or snowmelt, the runoff volume can overflow the sewer system or treatment plant and discharge excess wastewater directly to nearby streams, rivers, or other water bodies.

The Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP), sometimes referred to as the "Deep Tunnel," is the long-term plan for the region to reduce and/or eliminate direct discharges of wastewater. The TARP consists of a series of tunnels and reservoirs that temporarily store excess runoff during rain events so that it can be treated before it enters the waterways. In addition, the City of Des Plaines creates separate storm sewers during street reconstruction projects to reduce the volume of rainwater that flows into the combined sewer system.

Additional Information

A full explanation of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) CSO program and information about combined sewer overflows can be found at the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s website.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) maintains a network of flow-monitoring devices throughout the Chicago area to detect CSOs. Up-to-date information is available at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District's website.

Information about the Tunnel and Reservoir Action Plan (TARP) is also available on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District's website.

View these documents specific to Des Plaines:

• CSO Pollution Prevention Plan(PDF, 150KB)
• CSO Operational and Maintenance Plan(PDF, 645KB)
• CSO Public Notification Program(PDF, 834KB)

As part of the City’s stormwater pollution prevention efforts, the City wants to educate pet owners about the potential issues with pet waste. While many owners are responsible for their pets, it’s time to make sure that pet waste is properly managed for the benefit of everyone.

Why is pet waste a problem? Pet waste left on the streets, pavement, yards and driveways does not magically disappear or fertilize the grass. Rain or snow runoff can carry pet waste directly into waterways or storm drains that do not connect to sanitary sewer systems and treatment facilities. Unless people take care of pet waste, its disease-causing microorganisms – such as Giardia, Roundworm, E. Coli and Salmonella – enter our water with no treatment. Pet waste also uses up oxygen and releases ammonia as it decays, causing harm to aquatic organisms and degrading river health. And those who enjoy yards or parks where pets defecate are at risk for infections from the bacteria and viruses stored in pet waste.

All pet owners must do their part. There are currently nearly 3,000 households in Des Plaines with registered pets, and each pet “goes” at least once or twice a day. That’s a lot of pets, and a lot of waste!

Tips for handling your pet’s waste:

• Carry disposable bags with you on every walk. Check for holes beforehand. Use the bag as a glove to scoop up the waste, then tie the bag shut and put it in a trashcan.
• Flush your pet’s waste down the toilet where it will flow through the sewers for treatment. Don’t flush kitty litter, as the litter can clog your pipes.
• If you have a large yard, dig a hole in your yard at least one foot deep and 100 feet from any well, ditch, stream, garden or lake. Cover pet waste with plenty of soil.
• Wash your hands with warm, soapy water after dealing with pet waste.
• Never dump pet waste into a storm drain or catch basin.
• Tell others about the risks of leaving their pet’s waste on the ground, yard or street.

Let’s work together to keep pet waste out of our water resources and recreational areas.

In accordance with the City of Des Plaines’ National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, we are asking local businesses to do their part in reducing the amount of polluted stormwater that enters our waterways. Stormwater is the water that runs off into our storm drain system after rain or melting snow. The water flows over roadways, lawns, roofs and parking lots, carrying with it many pollutants such as debris, chemicals, oil and grease, fertilizers and pesticides, toxic metals and more. Urban runoff in our stormwater degrades the water quality of local lakes and waterways like the Des Plaines River, threatening our health and damaging fragile ecosystems.

The City is trying to reduce its stormwater impacts by asking all of its businesses to adopt small but significant stormwater-conscious practices. Here are some easy ways to run a stormwater-friendly business:

• Sweep up and properly dispose of construction debris, litter, and leaves. During a storm, litter clogs storm drains and ends up in our rivers and lakes.
• Never hose spills or trash into the drains. Clean spills immediately to prevent hazardous materials from entering storm runoff and train staff members to use a spill kit.
• Never dump anything but clean water into a storm drain. Prevent wash waters and wastes, such as used oil, grease, and chemicals from entering the storm drain system.
• Report any hazardous spills or any illegal dumping to the City via 9-1-1.
• Cover materials safely, including grease storage and dumpsters. Don’t overfill and keep the lid closed. Double up on containment measures of hazardous materials when possible.
• Do not store fertilizers, pesticides, or de-icers outside.
• Use nontoxic, biodegradable, and recyclable alternatives to chemicals whenever possible.

Finally, you can improve water quality by helping us spread the word: stormwater matters!

The Craig Manor Drainage System Improvement Project consists of a new 2.5 acre-foot underground stormwater storage facility at Craig Manor Park with relief storm sewers to convey floodwater to the facility. The storage facility serves as drainage overflow for the Craig Manor neighborhood. The improvement project provides significant flood reduction and is designed to prevent structure flooding to 11 at-risk houses. This project was selected for grant funding through the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District's Stormwater Partnership Program (SPP). The City has partnered with the Des Plaines Park District and the MWRD to complete the project.

The project scope includes installation of the storage facility, installation of new storm sewers, sanitary sewer improvements miscellaneous water main and service repairs and street reconstruction. The project is expected to begin in Fall 2024 and be completed in summer 2025.

With funding assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the City has purchased and demolished nearly 90 structures along the Big Bend Drive neighborhood permanently removing them from the floodplain. These structures experienced significant damage during the historic flooding events in 2008 and 2013.

The Rand Park Flood Control and Multi-Use Project, also known as Levee 50, is designed to alleviate damages caused by the flooding of the Des Plaines River. This project was the first of six flood control projects included in the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers' Des Plaines River Project. As a state sponsor for the Corps' federal project, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources / Office of Water Resources (IDNR/OWR) agreed to design and construct the Rand Park Project as part of the Department's financial obligation to the federal project. The cities of Des Plaines and Park Ridge serve as local sponsors for the project and as such, will ultimately own, operate and maintain the flood control and multi-use trail system constructed.

The documents below illustrate the location of the project, and highlight all three phases. Phase I included extension of an existing culvert and the installation of a 48-inch Tide Flex gate at the end of that culvert extension. Phase II included construction of a gated closure structure in addition to a pump station at Prairie-Farmer's Creek. This phase was substantially completed in 2005. Phase III was substantially completed in 2009 and included floodwalls, levees, multi-use trail, a Miner Street underpass, and a Golf Road Interceptor Sewer gate at Big Bend Lake.

The multi-use trail and Miner Street underpass components of the project were part of a federally funded Grand Illinois Trail project. During non-flood times, the 12-food wide trail closes a crucial gap in the roughly 50-mile Des Plaines River Trail and the greater Grand Illinois Trail. The underpass consists of a 12-foot wide by 10-foot high box culvert running underneath Miner Street to serve as trail tunnel and to provide additional flow conveyance during times of high water.