Oswego staff reviews NPDES/ILR40 stormwater program and public reporting options

Alejandro, a resident and presenter at the meeting, gave a public overview of the village’s participation in Illinois’ statewide NPDES permit (ILR40) under the federal Clean Water Act and summarized the six minimum control measures Oswego addresses in its Stormwater Management Program Plan (SMPP).

Alejandro said the village files an annual notice of intent to comply with the ILR40 permit and provides a yearly public meeting to solicit input from residents. He described the six minimum control measures identified in the SMPP: public education and outreach; public participation and involvement; illicit discharge detection and elimination; construction runoff control; post‑construction runoff control; and pollution prevention/good housekeeping.

Staff gave examples of local implementation: public works technicians attended a high‑school career expo to promote proper pool draining and other best practices; crews use silt fencing and silt bags at construction sites; the village conducts street sweeping and seeding to reduce sediment transport; and salt storage practices have been improved, with covered domes rather than outdoor tarps, to reduce chloride runoff.

For reporting suspected illicit discharges or stormwater issues, staff encouraged residents to use the MyCivic311 app: select the stormwater drains icon, upload photos and information, and public works staff will investigate and respond. "You can take out your app. You can go to the stormwater drains icon, take photos, upload information, and one of our public works staff would be more than happy to investigate and circle back with you," Alejandro said.

Trustees and participants suggested the village use a social‑media reminder to boost awareness of the app and simple guidance about what to look for in the field (for example, unusual foam, discoloration or oily sheens). A director praised Alejandro and staff for their ongoing work and noted the village’s stormwater system avoids combined sewer overflows, reducing certain pollution risks compared with older communities.

No formal action or vote was taken; the presentation served as the annual public meeting required by the permit and as an opportunity for trustees and residents to ask questions and make outreach suggestions.