In January 2005, after three years of discussions and preliminary meetings, over 50 leaders in stormwater management from throughout the southeast met in Atlanta, GA and voted to form the Southeast Stormwater Association.

The Southeast Stormwater Association (SESWA) was incorporated as a non-profit, to create a stormwater-focused regional association within EPA Region 4 that provides city and county governments, the private sector, and other organizations the ability to be better-positioned to address the challenges related to stormwater management, permitting, education, and finance. The Association’s mission is to assist stormwater professionals in the Southeast as they seek solutions to surface water quality and stormwater management challenges by:

• Providing education and training for stormwater professionals.
• Advocating for interests of stormwater programs in the decision-making processes of regulatory agencies and the courts.
• Researching, collecting, and distributing information about stormwater management practices, water quality, and the creation/operation of stormwater utilities and other financing mechanisms.
• Promoting and enhancing the effective management and operation of stormwater management systems.

SESWA conducts three free webinars and two regional educational events each year: It’s Spring Seminar in Atlanta is held each April and an Annual Conference each October, the location of which is moved throughout the southeast. SESWA's ForeCast e-newsletter is published every two months, developed by the SESWA membership, for the SESWA membership. A Survey of Stormwater Utilities in the Southeast is conducted and its corresponding Report published every two years. In addition to these resources, SESWA offers a wealth of information and resources on its website including regulatory factsheets, free job postings, an annual photo contest highlighting stormwater projects, and an online discussion forum to post questions and share information within the stormwater community.

SESWA has been actively engaged in regional stormwater policy and regulatory matters.  SESWA has filed detailed comments to federal partners on the proposed revisions to definitions of Waters of the United States, advocated for increased funding initiatives, and filed briefs in the US Supreme Court on cases of national significance to local stormwater programs.

SESWA membership continues to grow, seeing the highest number of members in the Association’s history this year with 220 organizational members (1,750+ individuals) across the southeast. Members consist of cities, counties, consulting firms, districts, and, academic institutions. The Association is governed by a 22-member Board of Directors and a five-member Executive Committee. Members of the Executive Committee include:

President: John Butler
Water Resources Outreach Manager
Gwinnett County, GA

Secretary-Treasurer: Lisa Wells
Director of Watershed Services
W.K. Dickson (an Ardurra Company)

Board Representative:
Kimberly Washok-Jones
Director of Projects & Watershed Resilience
Town of Bluffton, SC

Staff and association management services are provided by Association Management Professionals.