Cole County Seeks Permit Renewal, Omits Performance Data | The Locally Times
Ahead of an April 1, 2026, permit renewal, Cole County's public notice omits water quality data, flood reports, and maintenance records for its storm sewer system.
Cole County Public Works is preparing to submit a stormwater permit renewal application to the state, but performance details for the current system have not been made public. According to a public notice on the county’s website, the department will file its application by April 1, 2026, to seek continued coverage under a state-level permit governing its storm sewer operations. The application is for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources General Permit MOR04C. The county’s notice describes this as a comprehensive permit for municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s). These systems are the infrastructure of drains, pipes, and ditches that collect and manage rainwater and runoff in populated areas to prevent flooding and control pollution. ## Public Notice Lacks Performance Data The public notice announcing the permit application does not include performance data, operational history, or compliance records for Cole County’s current stormwater management plan. Records do not specify metrics such as water quality testing results, the frequency and location of flooding incidents, maintenance schedules, or infrastructure upgrades completed under the current permit. The county has also not released the full application, which would provide the specific operational details being sent to state regulators, or announced when it might be made available for public inspection. ## No Public Review Scheduled on County Agendas A review of publicly available agendas for Cole County government bodies shows no scheduled discussions or presentations regarding the performance of the municipal storm sewer system. Tentative agendas posted for the Cole County Commission for meetings on February 24, February 26, and March 3, 2026, do not contain any line items for a report or public hearing on stormwater management. The available records also do not outline a formal public comment period or specify when and how residents can review the full permit renewal application before its submission. The county has not specified what performance data it will include in its application to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.