The City is proud to earn national recognition as a leader in stormwater management and its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program by winning the 2025 Phase II MS4 Innovation and Program Management Award from the National Municipal Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Program.   

The National MS4 Award Program was established in 2015 by the Water Environment Federation (WEF) through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to recognize the nationwide efforts for innovative ways to meet and exceed regulatory requirements set to reduce stormwater pollution.  

The City’s Phase II MS4 permit is issued by Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) under the federal Clean Water Act and regulates the discharge of stormwater to reduce pollution entering streams and waterbodies. There are nearly 6,500 Phase II MS4 permit holders nationwide.   

Key highlights for the program include the successful implementation of the Meaningful Watershed Education Experience (MWEE) in cooperation with Alexandria City Public Schools to bring all ACPS 7th graders to learn about the Ben Brenman Stormwater Management Retrofit Project and the launch of the Green Team individual litter cleanup program. The program has attracted close to 80 participants since it launched this past May and is intended to complement existing litter-removing efforts. 

Since the Award’s inception in 2015, the City has consistently achieved recognition in Program Management and Innovation and has been the Phase II MS4 Overall Winner multiple times. Additionally, the City recently received a ‘no further action’ letter following routine DEQ audit that occurs about once every five years.  

Visit the City’s MS4 website to learn more about the program and past awards. 

If you prefer communication in another language, free interpretation and translation services are available to you. Please email LanguageAccess@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.3960.