Who We Are

The Central Massachusetts Regional Stormwater Coalition was originally formed by a group of 13 communities working together to address municipal stormwater management. The initial group included the communities of Auburn, Charlton, Dudley, Holden, Leicester, Millbury, Oxford, Paxton, Shrewsbury, Spencer, Sturbridge, Webster, and West Boylston. Since then other municipalities have joined the Coalition, including Ashland, Fitchburg, Framingham, Grafton, Hopkinton, Lunenburg, Marlborough, Natick, Northbridge, Northborough, Palmer, Rutland, Southborough, Southbridge, Sterling, Upton, Uxbridge and Westborough.

Most of the member communities are subject to requirements issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designed to protect water quality by reducing stormwater pollution from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s). In Massachusetts, these requirements were defined in a Small MS4 Permit finalized by USEPA in May 2003.

As neighbors, our 31 communities share stormwater systems, surface water resources, and the need to ensure the long-term protection of these resources. Working as a group allows us to collectively protect the resources we share, and to meet the requirements of the MS4 Permit in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

This project has also enabled us to develop tools to expand our stormwater management practices. This forward-thinking approach helps us to prepare for a new Small MS4 Permit from the USEPA for Massachusetts which will include new challenges.