Stormwater Management

What Is Stormwater?
 
Stormwater - rain or snowmelt that runs off hard surfaces and eventually into local waterways - is a major and fast growing source of pollution. This runoff may carry sediment, nutrients from lawns, waste from farms and pets, oil and litter from streets and other contaminants into streams or storm drains.
 

Stormwater pollution from point sources and non-point sources is a challenging water quality problem. Unlike pollution from industry or sewage treatment facilities, which is caused by a discrete number of sources, stormwater pollution is caused by the daily activities of people everywhere. Rainwater and snowmelt run off streets, lawns, farms, and construction and industrial sites and pick up fertilizers, dirt, pesticides, oil and grease, and many other pollutants on the way to our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Stormwater runoff is our most common cause of water pollution. Because stormwater pollution is caused by so many different activities, traditional regulatory controls will only go so far.

Property owners can play a crucial role in limiting water pollution right in their own yards. See the links at left for important information about stormwater management and ways to help prevent non-point source water pollution to our streams.

Stormwater Management Program
 
Polluted stormwater runoff is a leading cause of impairment to nearly 40 percent of U.S. water bodies which do not meet water quality standards. Polluted stormwater enters, or is discharged to, our local water bodies over land or through storm sewers, often without treatment. When left uncontrolled, this water pollution can result in destruction of fish, wildlife, and aquatic habitats. It causes a loss in aesthetic value, threatens public health due to contaminated food and drinking water supplies, and recreational waterways.
 

The Clean Water Act mandates that stormwater point discharges to waterbodies are regulated by National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. In 2003, Phase II of the NPDES stormwater regulations came into effect, placing new requirements on approximately 5,000 small and medium-sized cities serving populations less than 100,000. Under the NPDES stormwater program, permittees must develop a stormwater management plan that details how communities will comply with the permit requirements. Lower Providence Township falls within these federal and state regulations and must comply with the NPDES permit requirements.

For a complete guide to Lower Providence Township’s Stormwater Management Program follow the link here: npdes_introduction.pdf (lowerprovidence.org)

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