Northern Middlesex Stormwater Collaborative

Overview

About the NMSC

The Northern Middlesex Stormwater Collaborative (NMSC) is a regional stormwater collaborative that undertakes many of the public education, procurement, management and administrative tasks necessary for managing stormwater in the Northern Middlesex region.

The intent of the collaborative is to solve stormwater problems in a way that reduces costs for local governments and taxpayers, and promotes regional communication and cooperation. This project was initially funded by a $98,000 grant through the Executive Office for Administration and Finance’s Community Innovation Challenge (CIC) Grant Program. In 2014, the NMSC received an additional $81,000 CIC grant to add four new communities to the collaborative and to participate in further public outreach activities.

As the CIC grant recipient, the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG) managed the formation of the collaborative, and serves as its administrative and technical staff, with assistance from consultants, where needed. The NMSC is overseen by an Advisory Board with equal representation from each of the 13 participating communities. The Advisory Board members are appointed by the Chief Administrative Officer in each community and generally meet bi-monthly.

Our Goal

The goal of the collaborative is to effectively manage stormwater and improve water quality, while engaging in resource sharing among local governments, in order to keep costs at a minimum, and improve the quality of service provided to residents. It is widely recognized that watershed-based stormwater management yields the best environmental results, and that this approach is the most ecologically and economically sustainable method for addressing water quality and flooding issues throughout the Northern Middlesex region.

Partnership

During the first year of its operation, the NMSC was formed by a group of nine communities working together to address stormwater management across the Northern Middlesex region. The initial collaborative members include:

  • Billerica

  • Chelmsford

  • Dracut

  • Dunstable

  • Lowell

  • Pepperell

  • Tewksbury

  • Tyngsborough

  • Westford

During the second year of operations, the group added three new communities including:

  • Burlington

  • Littleton

  • Wilmington

Achievements

1.       Establishment of the NMSC Advisory Board, with members designated by the chief administrative officer in each municipality

2.       Cooperative procurement of goods and services

3.       Implementation of a common public outreach and education program

4.       Collaborative training for municipal staff and public officials

5.       Regionalization of stormwater mapping activities

6.       Assistance with reporting requirements and grant writing

7.       2019 MS4 Municipal Assistance Grant and Stormy Award

Reports

Look here for reports generated by or of interest to the Northern Middlesex Storm Collaborative.

       2013 Community Innovation Challenge Grant Report

Future Plans

The NMSC is working with its member communities to plan and schedule future training sessions and events. In addition, public education materials are under development and will be translated into the primary language groups spoken across the region.