Stormwater Management

The Townships storm drainage system is very important to keeping runoff from flooding roadways and damaging property. The inlets in the streets are interconnected by piping and eventually discharged to a larger pipe, to a stream or ditch. Eventually all of our runoff ends up in the Schuylkill and/or Delaware River.

Inlets are spaced along a roadway with most located at low points of the street in order to efficiently collect rainwater. Residents may help themselves by insuring that the opening is free and clear of leaves and other debris prior to a rain storm. If the inlet is clogged and not accepting runoff, the Public Works Department should be called at (610) 408-3620 or e-mail.

Streams and drainage ditches/swales are also conveyors of the runoff. Dumping or raking leaves and other garden debris into these channels hurts the environment and seriously impacts drainage down stream. This action is prohibited by Township Ordinance and the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection http://www.dep.state.pa.us.

NPDES MS4 Permit from DEP

As part of the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed stormwater management regulations to improve water quality. The Township was required to apply for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit which is administered through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). This permit is a 5-year program which began in 2003. The permit is broken up into 6 control measures which include: Public Outreach and Education, Public Participation and Involvement, Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination, construction site stormwater runoff control, Post-Construction Storm Water Management in New Development and Redevelopment, and Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations and Maintenance.

This website was set up to address some of these issues and communicate with Township residents and businesses about different things that effect stormwater. If you have any additional questions, please contact Erin Carroll by email or (610) 408-3617.

Links

• Streams & Watersheds
• Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  http://www.depweb.state.pa.us
• Link to DEP stormwater management
  http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/fieldops/se/stormwater.htm
• Chester County Water Resources Authority
  http://www.chesco.org/water/site/default.asp
• Chester County Conservation District
  http://dsf.chesco.org/conservation/site/default.asp
• EPA NPDES
  http://www.epa.gov/npdes
• EPA Nonpoint Source Outreach Digital Toolbox
  http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/toolbox/beta
• Center for Watershed Protection - Stormwater Manager's Resource Center
  http://www.stormwatercenter.net

Stormwater Educational Resources

• We All Live Down Stream. (1 page, 468 KB)
• Clean Water Begins with You. (1 page, 480 KB)
• How Much Rain can a Tree Retain? (1 page, 344 KB)
• Rain and Drainage Information (1 page, 1.09 MB)

Stormwater Tips for Residents

• Car Washing Information (1 page, 4.84 MB)
• Septic System Information (1 page, 448 KB)
• Winter Deicing Tips (1 page, 432 KB)
• Vehicle Maintenance Tips (1 page, 484 KB)
• Pet Waste Tips (1 page, 480 KB)
• Fertilizing Tips (1 page, 484 KB)

Chester County Water Resources Authority Informational Brochures

• Reducing Stormwater and Flooding (1 page, 440 KB)
• Managing Small Ponds (1 page, 396 KB)
• Stream Restoration (1 page, 636 KB)
• Managing Stormwater Facilities (1 page, 540 KB)

Stormwater Tips for Contractors

• Stormwater and the Construction Industry (1 page, 648 KB)

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