Programmatic Reorganization (1998 to 2002)

As this new combined report was generated each year, it became clear that the next step was to actually integrate the programs if the goal of true watershed management was to actually be achieved. Wet weather and regulatory response teams developed as “silos” in the areas of CSO, SSO, and MS4. It became evident to MSD that this organizational structure posed an obstacle to water quality improvement and cost effective program management. MSD believed that moving to an integrated water quality-based program was both a necessary business strategy and a necessary environmental strategy that would provide a bottom-line benefit to the customer.

In late 2000, the CSO and SSO programs were merged internally for integrated management. The next year, the CSO, SSO, MS4 and Stream Monitoring programs were merged for integrated NPDES management. Following the MSD Programmatic Reorganization of internal staff, MSD began the procurement process for Program Consultant. This Program Consultant would need to provide programmatic oversight assistance and to provide the wide range of specialized technical needs associated with continuing the development and implementation of a program that was based on a holistic watershed approach. The program would be based on an approach that reduced the decision making to the impact and efficiency of the programmatic elements on the overall water-quality improvement of the watershed.

The integration of these programs required a strategic and targeted planning effort. In 2001, MSD embarked on the development of a Strategic Water Quality-Based Management Plan. The first step was to form a Wet Weather and Water Quality (WWWQ) Team to coordinate internal and external wet weather program management functions with their internal and external partners. Recent efforts have increased the scope of functions performed within the WWWQ Team to include management of the Pretreatment Compliance Program, which was previously in a separate MSD division.

The long-term vision developed by this team is to meet water quality standards for all streams in Jefferson County. Both the WWWQ team and MSD Management agreed that this goal would require decades to achieve, if even achievable. The resultant mission statement for this vision was to develop and sustain a strategic process for water quality management across the county’s eleven (11) watersheds.

Six critical success factors were identified as necessary components to achieving these goals. These success factors are as follows:

• Make water quality-based decisions for effective use of financial resources and prioritization of projects;
• Maximize benefits within, and performance of, the stormwater collection, wastewater conveyance and treatment systems;
• Foster stakeholder support;
• Keep the program technically dynamic;
• Maintain dynamic watershed plans; and,
• Pursue wet weather permitting opportunities.

Related Links

1988 to 1997 Program Reorganization Efforts
2002 to July 2003 Holistic Watershed Approach

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