The Clean Water Act in 1972 created the NPDES permit program to help address water pollution by reducing the discharge of pollutants to surface waters of the State. The City of Walker has a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, or MS4 for short, that operates under the NPDES. In this sewer system, stormwater is transported directly to rivers, lakes, and streams instead of a wastewater treatment plant. The unintended consequence of this system is that pollution can flow directly into waterways.