Brooksville is currently undergoing a major expansion that is predicted to double the current geographic size and population over the next 20 years. An important concern regarding such growth is the risk of increased pollution.  One form of pollution rarely talked about, but of ever growing importance on our fragile peninsula, is storm water run off.
City streets do not drain into the City treated sewer system.  Run off flows into our drains and ditches, to our retention ponds, lakes and wetlands, and into the aquifer and waterways.  Many Floridians drink water straight from the aquifer, so the importance of protecting that system is obvious.  It is also important to realize, though, that trash, chemicals and silts/sediments are transported to our recreational waterways, ultimately endangering aquatic plants and sea life, as well as the humans that swim in the waters and eat the fish.

In 1997 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extended the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4)  that had, as of 1990, applied only to medium and larger municipalities.  By 2003, smaller jurisdictions began to be required to obtain permit coverage.  Brooksville was issued permit coverage on August 2, 2004.  Under “Phase Two” of the program, the City is required to meet certain Minimum Control Measures and establish Best Management Practices (BMP) to meet those control measures. We must implement BMPs to meet all six Minimum Control Measures within five years, reporting annually on our progress.
The first of the Minimum Control Measures is to develop a Public Education and Outreach program- which is what we are doing now, in addition to our public and employee education campaigns and mailings.  We also intend to develop a storm drain marking program listing all storm drain locations.