Water Quality

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Program

As part of the Federal Clean Water Act and the State of Indiana Administrative Code, over 200 towns, cities, and other entities in the state of Indiana are required to develop and implement a plan to address stormwater quality. Fishers is one of these communities.

This program is called the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Program (MS4 Program) and it is comprised of the following six control measures required by law:

Public Education and Outreach
Public Participation/Involvement
Illicit Discharge Detection/Elimination (Illegal Dumping Enforcement)
Construction Site Runoff Control (During Construction Water Quality Controls)
Post-Construction Runoff Control (Long Term Site Water Quality Controls)
Municipal Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping (City Facility Water Quality Controls)

Pollution Control

Stormwater quality is important to everyone. Rainwater that falls on streets, parking lots, rooftops, and lawns often becomes polluted by automotive fluids, detergents and chemicals, eroded soils, and lawn fertilizers before it enters the Fishers storm sewer system through inlets. This polluted stormwater runoff travels through the storm sewers directly into ponds, streams, and rivers without receiving treatment.

This affects our ability to use the water for swimming, drinking, fishing, and also degrades the aquatic life habitat. Fishers is working to reduce the pollutants entering area waterways.

The program relies on community involvement to help educate residents about stormwater, clean up areas around streams and rivers, and to identify sources of pollution. Find more water quality information and tips on how you can help improve water quality.

Take the Rain Barrel Water Quality pledge!

Report a Polluter

If you notice someone polluting a waterway or storm drain by illegally dumping, please call 317-567-5056 or email the department.

Water Quality Design

Use the Draft Low Impact Development Design (LID) Manual (PDF) for design considerations for LID. Fishers is trying to promote LID design in new development proposals.

Water Quality Monitoring

Fishers began a water quality monitoring program in 2012 to provide ongoing chemical-based water quality data of its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer (MS4) Permitted streams. The Fishers Water Quality Monitoring Map (PDF) shows the sampling locations and the corresponding Water Quality Data (PDF).