What are Rule 13 and MS4 General Permit?

Rule 13 (327 IAC 15-13) was the approach by Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to meeting the guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Stormwater Phase II regulations. Rule 13 required about 170 communities and other urban entities in Indiana (including the City of Valparaiso) to obtain permits for stormwater discharges from MS4s and implement a stormwater management program that would reduce the amount of pollutants entering the waterway as a result of stormwater runoff. MS4 permits were granted in five year cycles at the end of which the permit must be renewed. The City of Valparaiso’s first permit was granted in 2003. The permit was renewed in 2008, 2013, and 2018. Effective from December 18, 2021, Rule 13 was repealed and IDEM started to regulate the program under the Indiana MS4 General Permit (MS4GP). 

Show All Answers

1. How is the program funded?
2. What is an MS4?
3. What are Rule 13 and MS4 General Permit?
4. Why is the program necessary?
5. How can I help reduce stormwater pollution?