Dover public works outlines Earth Week events to meet MS4 stormwater permit requirements

Dover public works staff on Monday presented a schedule of free Earth Week activities April 21–25 designed to fulfill two minimum control measures of the MPDES Phase II municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit, city staff said.

The presentation described events ranging from a nature walk to a community stormwater day intended to improve public understanding of stormwater and to encourage citizen participation in the city’s MS4 program. "I want to emphasize that these are all free events," said Brynn Wombaugh, the city’s stormwater coordinator. Ariel Vickers, an environmental scientist with the Department of Public Works, called Thursday’s event the week’s centerpiece: "This will be our major event for the week. This will be from 12 to 3 in Silver Lake Park on the beach side where the volleyball court is," she said.

The city tied the week’s activities explicitly to MCM 1 (public education) and MCM 2 (public involvement) in the MS4 permit. Staff said they will send short participant surveys after events to measure learning (MCM 1) and that the litter…