The Town of Williston discharges stormwater under the authority of a Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Permit issued by the State of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. As a condition of the permit, the Town is required to develop a Stormwater Management Plan which addresses how the Town will prevent stormwater runoff from carrying potential pollutants to receiving surface waters. Potential pollution sources may include runoff from residential areas where excessive lawn treatment chemicals or fertilizers are applied, parking lots where vehicles may have leaked fluids and where salts are often applied during winter months, or construction sites where large areas of disturbances are common. Each of these potential pollutant sources need to be identified and mitigated to minimize their potential for commingling with stormwater runoff and eventually entering our waterways. For more information about this program click here or email Stormwater@willistonvt.org. 

When receiving waters do not meet their intended use due to an identified pollutant additional standards for the stormwater that discharges to that waterbody may be required. In the Town of Williston stormwater discharges are received by seven surface waterbodies which include the Allen Brook, Johnnie Brook, Lake Iroquois, Muddy Brook, Shelburne Pond, Sucker Brook, and the Winooski River. Of these seven waterbodies Allen Brook, Muddy Brook, and Lake Iroquois are listed as impaired by the State of Vermont, but only the Allen Brook has discharge restrictions at this time. Muddy Brook and Lake Iroquois are being monitored as local cleanup efforts continue. 

While stormwater discharges from the Town don't directly discharge to Lake Champlain, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources has adopted regulations that require the Town to reduce Phosphorus loads in our Stormwater discharges which ultimately feed into Lake Champlain. For more information about this program click here or email Stormwater@willistonvt.org.