Farmington presentation: MS4 review shows generally good water‑quality results, outlines upcoming pond and ditch projects
Summary
City water‑resources specialist McKenna Anderson reported Farmington is preparing for an MPCA MS4 audit, described public outreach and inspection programs, and said seasonal chloride and limited pond contaminants were below EPA concern levels; the city plans pond maintenance, industrial‑park ditch cleanup and adoption of a stormwater asset management tool.
McKenna Anderson, Farmington’s water resources specialist, presented the city’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) annual review at the Jan. 5 council meeting and told council members that Farmington is due for an MPCA audit. "Permits are issued every 5 years ... Farmington was last audited in 2015, so we are due for an audit," Anderson said, summarizing compliance elements and enforcement tools.
Anderson reviewed the MS4’s six minimum control measures. She said public education and outreach is delivered through the city’s quarterly newspaper, social media and tabling at the Dakota County Fair; public participation programs include adopt‑a‑pond and storm‑drain stenciling. For construction stormwater enforcement, Anderson reported 17 projects and 187 inspections in 2025, with 47 informal notices and six elevated to notices of violation; two city projects (2025 street improvements and the Duchamp Parkway/Spruce Street intersection) received MPCA acknowledgment for 100% compliance.
Anderson described monitoring work: quarterly chloride testing in North Creek, Middle Creek and the Vermillion River found concentrations "well below the EPA's recommended water quality criteria," with winter increases likely tied to road salt. Fall pond testing of 10 city ponds screened 47 contaminants and detected nine total; E. coli and total coliforms were present in each pond but did not exceed the EPA single‑sample recreational limits.
Planned work for 2026 includes Devonshire Avenue and 206th Street pond maintenance to restore capacity, an industrial park ditch cleanout to mitigate flooding, and a Fourth and Willow treatment structure to reduce total suspended solids and total phosphorus entering the Vermillion River. Anderson said the city is exploring the Stormwater Asset Management Program (SWAMP) to centralize BMP data, inspections and maintenance ahead of the MPCA audit.
Council members thanked Anderson for the presentation and asked how residents can volunteer; she said opportunities and contacts are listed on the city website and that stencil kits and program paperwork are available at City Hall.
Next steps: staff will move forward with the listed maintenance projects as weather and schedules permit and prepare documentation for the upcoming MPCA audit.
