Georgia DOT was issued a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit in January 2012 by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). This permit was re-issued in January 2017 and again in January 2022; future renewals are anticipated every 5 years. The MS4 permit provides guidelines for agencies to prevent excessive stormwater discharges, dumping, spills, erosion and pollutants from contaminating nearby waterways. The MS4 permit program regulates the discharge of stormwater from Georgia DOT roadways and properties designated by the EPD as “MS4 Permitted Areas.” To see if you are within an MS4 Permitted Area, click on the map above showing all counties within the MS4 program.

While the Department is already taking broad measures to prevent pollution from entering our streams, rivers and lakes, there is still much that we can do together to help keep our water clean. This page and the link below will tell you more about the actions we are taking to mitigate stormwater pollution. The MS4 permit activities are an integral part of Georgia DOT’s commitment to be a good environmental steward.

View MS4 Program Press Release

As people learn more about the effects of stormwater runoff and how it impacts the quality of our streams, rivers, and lakes, they can take positive actions to help reduce negative effects. Even simple changes can have far-reaching results that benefit Georgia residents, businesses, ecosystems, and wildlife.

Georgia DOT has been working to detect and reduce the pollution that enters our natural waters. In accordance with the MS4 permit, our stormwater management program focuses on the following measures in an effort to reduce stormwater pollution:

• Public Education
• Public Involvement
• Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
• Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control
• Post-Construction Stormwater Management
• Pollution Prevention for Municipal Type Operations

These measures were designed to educate and inform the public on stormwater pollution and the impact it has on our ecosystems, as well as to reduce runoff pollution from Georgia DOT properties and construction sites. Although Georgia DOT has always strived to be a good steward of Georgia's environment and natural resources, we have stepped up our efforts to further enhance our stormwater management and water quality protection measures. Georgia DOT has implemented an impaired waters program that they use to identify existing impaired waters across the state. GDOT has also developed a Statewide Impaired Waters Plan (IWP) for Total Maximum Daily Load Compliance. The IWP describes GDOT activities designed to reduce GDOT pollutants of concern in TMDL watersheds.

Georgia DOT is conducting stormwater training for our employees, consultants, and contractors so that they are all informed of the most current and effective methods for reducing stormwater pollution. Refer to the Resources tab for the GDOT Drainage Design for Highways Manual for additional guidance on the design of post-construction stormwater BMPs. While Georgia DOT is already taking broad measures to prevent pollution from entering our stream, rivers, and lakes, there is still much that we can do together to help keep our water clean. The video, brochure and other resources on this page will tell you more about the actions we are taking to prevent stormwater pollution and how you can support this effort.

Keep Georgia Peachy Clean!

Litter is becoming an increasing problem in our state and can negatively affect many areas of your life.

Community

• Litter can block stormwater drains resulting in flooding and costly repairs.
• Litter negatively impacts real estate values, discouraging economic development.

Roadways

• Litter diminishes aesthetics of streets, roads and highways.
• More than 25,000 accidents are caused by vehicle-related road debris each year in the U.S.



Water & Environment

• It only takes 1 HOUR for chemicals to leach from cigarette butts when in contact with water.
• Animals can get caught in plastic items and become injured or even strangled.
• Litter-causing water pollution can impact recreation areas and drinking water supplies.

Reducing Litter on Roadways

Every year, Georgia DOT spends over $10 million cleaning up litter. Georgia DOT has created programs and teamed with organizations to help reduce litter on our roadways in addition to their existing maintenance activities and contracts.

• In 2021 there were 50 active Adopt-A-Highway groups covering over 103 miles.
• Every year in April each Georgia DOT District participates in the Great American Cleanup by reassigning crews to concentrate on litter pickup for a week.
• The partnership with Sponsor-A-Highway Program began by providing litter pickup in metro Atlanta in November 2011. The program now has expanded to three of the Department’s Districts outside of Atlanta, in Hall, Gwinnett, Cherokee, Douglas, Rockdale, Henry, Clayton, Troup, Coweta, Chatham, Gilmer, and Pickens Counties.

Tips

Here are a few things you can do to help keep our roadways and waterways free of litter:

• Carry a litter bag in your car.
• For smokers, keep a designated place in your car for cigarette butts and ashes until you’re ready to throw them away.
• Secure your cargo before driving and don’t use truck beds as mobile garbage cans.
• Properly cover trash receptacles outside to prevent litter escaping.
• Be proactive! Walk to the nearest recycling or trash container.
• Encourage friends & family to take pride in their community and not to litter.
• Make a small change – pick up one piece of litter each day.
• Only empty your RV holding tanks in authorized dump stations.
• Participate in community clean-ups.

Want to Know More?

Check out the following websites to see how you can get involved.

Georgia DOT is committed to training its employees and contractors on good construction site practices and municipal operations that minimize impacts of stormwater runoff from Georgia DOT properties or rights-of-ways, including what to do in the event of a spill or other actions that may result in unintended impacts on our water bodies. We are also educating the general public on how everyone can help to minimize pollution due to stormwater runoff. Please check out the following resources:

	Stormwater 101: Preserving the Quality of our Water A basic overview of stormwater pollution prevention, and how everyone can do their part to protect our surface waters while at home, school or work. View Presentation
	Georgia DOT Rain Check Card for Litter Prevention This card is designed to provide information on why litter control is important and what we can do to help. View Card
	Georgia DOT Rain Check Card for Everyone Who Drives This card is designed to help us know what to check when we are “On the Road.” View Card
	Georgia DOT Rain Check Card for Contractors This card is designed to help contractors and those working at construction sites with Best Management Practices (BMPs). View Card
	Georgia DOT Manual on Drainage Design for Highways This document provides required guidelines for drainage design on all Georgia DOT projects. View Manual
	Georgia Stormwater Management Manual This document is designed to provide guidance on stormwater management policy, technical design standards and pollution prevention. View Manual
	Georgia Coastal Supplement This document provides specific guidance for Georgia's coastal communities. View Supplement