MS4 Compliance & Enforcement Certified Inspector (Online Course)

Course Overview

The MS4 Compliance and Enforcement Certified Inspector (MS4CECI) course is a training and education program designed to meet the statutory qualified training requirement, identified within the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permitting program. Upon successful completion, you will receive a Certificate of Completion worth 9 professional development hours (PDHs). Because of the dynamic nature of the MS4 program, your MS4CECI certification will be valid for 3 years and can be renewed up to 1 year before expiration by either repeating the course or taking the online recertification.

The NPDES Stormwater Training Institute is a veteran-owned and operated company built on a foundation of gratitude for the United States of America and our nation’s surface water quality. The MS4CECI course was developed by stormwater professionals with over 100 years of combined experience, emphasizing that healthy, oxygen-rich, and pollutant-free surface water depends on MS4 operators who comply with and enforce the requirements set forth in their respective MS4 permits. Part 402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act) requires qualified pollutant sources to obtain a point source permit that mandates the treatment and/or elimination of pollutants before discharging them into our watersheds. Our online MS4CECI course includes practical information not commonly covered in similar courses, enhancing your learning experience regardless of where you live.

What is an MS4?

Polluted stormwater runoff is commonly transported through municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), and is often discharged, untreated, into local urban water bodies.

An MS4 is a conveyance or system of conveyances that is:

• • owned by a state, city, town, village, or other public entities like a Departments of Transportation, military bases and state universities, that discharge to waters of the U.S.,
  • designed or used to collect or convey stormwater from storm drains, pipes and ditches,
  • not a combined sanitary/storm sewer system, and
  • not part of a sewage treatment plant, or publicly owned treatment works (POTW).

To prevent harmful pollutants from being washed or dumped into urban waterways, MS4 operators are required to obtain NPDES permits and develop stormwater management programs (SWMPs) intended to eliminate pollutants to the maximum extent practicable (MEP). The SWMP describes the stormwater treatment and control practices primarily implemented through best management practices (BMPs) that are identified within six (6) minimum control measures (MCMs) for the purpose of meeting MS4 permit requirements.

Role of MS4 Operators

MS4 operators play a crucial role in managing and maintaining stormwater systems to prevent pollution and protect water quality. These operators include a wide range of public entities such as municipalities, state and federal transportation departments, public universities, hospitals, military bases, and correctional facilities. Each operator is responsible for developing and implementing a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) that complies with federal, state, and local regulations. This involves regular inspections, identifying and eliminating illicit discharges, and ensuring the proper treatment of stormwater before it enters natural water bodies. Their efforts are essential for reducing stormwater contamination and ensuring compliance with the Clean Water Act.

Course Modules

Module 1 – Water Quality: An American Perspective
This presentation provides a historical and comparative perspective on water pollution, highlighting what America didn’t do that led to severe water pollution and comparing it to the water pollution problems in other countries.

Module 2 – Urban Stormwater Impacts
As human populations grow and impervious surfaces increase, we interfere with the natural water cycle and add significant pollutants to our watersheds. This module discusses the common pollutants entering urban watersheds and the impact of increased surface flows.

Module 3 – Point Source & Nonpoint Source Management
This module covers the basic regulatory structure of point source and nonpoint source programs, facilitating MS4 Stormwater Inspections by distinguishing between these pollutant sources.

Module 4 – Illicit Discharges & IDDE Program Elements
The Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination System (IDDE) focuses on identifying pollutant sources, fixing the problems, and preventing future occurrences. This module outlines the MS4 Stormwater Inspector’s role in these processes.

Module 5 – Facility Inspections for Construction, Industrial, & Hot Spot Facilities
This module discusses methods for identifying and preventing illicit discharges from various facilities, emphasizing compliance with federal and state NPDES permit conditions and local ordinances.

Module 6 – Field Data Collection
Field data collection includes both qualitative and quantitative procedures. This module demonstrates methods and terminology for taking legally defensible samples for laboratory analysis, as well as qualitative samples for field purposes to trace illicit discharge sources.

Benefits of the Online Course

Flexibility:
Learn at your own pace, from anywhere.

Comprehensive Training:
Covers all necessary aspects for compliance and enforcement.

Professional Development:
Earn PDH credits and enhance your professional qualifications.

Frequently Asked Questions