The City of Elyria is the owner and operator of a Phase II Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4), as designated by Ohio EPA. The system collects and discharges storm water directly to the Black River. New regulations require the City to develop strategies and goals to address the following minimum control measures:
- Public Education and Outreach
- Public Participation and Involvement
- Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
- Construction Site Runoff Control
- Post-Construction Runoff Control
- Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping
The Engineering Department works alongside Wastewater Pollution Control on Public Education, Public Participation and Pollution Prevention. In February 2008, Elyria City Council passed an ordinance addressing Illicit Discharges, Site Runoff and Post Construction Runoff. A permit from the City Engineer is now required for storm water management and Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans at construction sites.
Please report any illicit discharges to 440.366.2211 or email Engineering Department at engineer@cityofelyria.org.
Black River Watershed
Along with the Black River RAP committee, individuals and other communities, the City has worked diligently to reduce the pollutant loading and to increase the biotic communities within the Black River. Consequently, the U.S. EPA declared the river to be in recovery for fish tumors and deformities and that the macro-invertebrates (the community of organisms that live all or part of their lives at the bottom of streams) have fully recovered in the East Branch of the Black River. Since this is an important indicator that water and habitat quality continue to improve, the U.S. EPA agreed to change the status of benthos in the East Branch sub-watershed from “impaired” to “not impaired”. The Ohio EPA website recognizes that improvements to Elyria’s wastewater and storm water collection systems have played significant roles for the cleaner water.
