Physical Plant
Physical Plant
Overview
Stormwater runoff from land modified by human activities can harm surface water and change natural hydrologic patterns, accelerate natural stream flows, destroy aquatic habitat, and elevate pollutant concentrations. Such runoff is said to contain non-point source pollutants, which include sediment, suspended solids, nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen), heavy metals, pathogens, toxins, oxygen-demanding substances, and floating material. Southern Miss operates its own stormwater system under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit. The Southern Miss stormwater system is composed of underground pipe, open ditches, outfalls and several hundred catch basins that discharge primarily to the City of Hattiesburg’s storm sewer system and to Gordon’s Creek and eventually to the Leaf River, which is part of the Pascagoula River Basin.
Stormwater Management Program
In response to new rules issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, Southern Miss has developed a stormwater management program designed to prevent harmful pollutants from being washed by stormwater runoff into the MS4 (or from being dumped directly into the MS4) and then discharged from the MS4 into local water bodies. Southern Miss activities with potential to impact the stormwater system include:
Measurement
The Southern Miss Stormwater Management Program consists of six minimum measures that, when fully implemented, are expected to result in an overall reduction of non-point source pollutants discharged into the local watershed. These six minimum measures include
What Can you Do?
Southern Miss lies within the Pascagoula River Basin, which drains directly to the Gulf of Mexico. Our students, staff, faculty, vendors and visitors both on campus and in all parts of our community need to be concerned about stormwater and water quality. In order to protect and preserve our ecological resources, be sure to take the following preventive measures:
On Campus:
There are many things that students, faculty and staff can do to protect water quality on campus:
Other Ways to Help
For more information about the Phase II Stormwater Program on both the State and Federal levels, please visit the following websites:
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
United States Environmental Protection Agency
If you wish to make a stormwater complaint, notice improper dumping or non-stormwater discharges on University property, immediately contact Physical Plant Assistant Director, Clint Atkins at 601.266.5748 or email physicalplant@usm.edu.