STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

                                                Why Manage Stormwater?

Stormwater is rainwater and melted snow that runs off streets, lawns, and other sites. When stormwater is absorbed into the ground, it is filtered and ultimately replenishes aquifers or flows into streams and rivers. In developed areas, however, impervious surfaces such as pavement and roofs prevent precipitation from naturally soaking into the ground. Instead, the water runs rapidly into storm drains, sewer systems, and drainage ditches and can cause:
~ Downstream flooding
~ Stream bank erosion
~ Increased turbidity
  (muddiness created by stirred up sediment) from erosion
~ Habitat destruction
~ Changes in the stream flow hydrograph
  (a graph that displays the flow rate of a stream over a period of time)
~ Combined sewer overflows
~ Infrastructure damage
~ Contaminated streams, rivers, and coastal water
(Source: US EPA)

                                      STORMWATER BASIC INFORMATION

What is the NPDES Stormwater Program?

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program regulates stormwater discharges from three potential sources: municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s), construction activities, and industrial activities. Most stormwater discharges are considered point sources, and operators of these sources may be required to receive an NPDES permit before they can discharge. This permitting mechanism is designed to prevent stormwater runoff from washing harmful pollutants into local surface waters such as streams, rivers, lakes or coastal waters.
(Source: US EPA)

Many fact sheets detailing the Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) that the Township is required to comply with every year can be found here, for example:

~ Small MS4 Stormwater Program Overview and
~ Illicit Discharges and Our Stormwater