Lower Southampton Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Stormwater Management Issues/Concerns
The township is well aware of the stormwater runoff issues and problems that our residents are facing. We are going to attempt to get a full picture of the situation, so we need input from you if you have a stormwater problem. We have a section under Our Township that describes the issue in general, and you are welcome to review it below. However, we have a form that we would like you to fill out and send to us at the township building. Click below to bring up the form, print it, fill it out, and send it to us via regular mail or email.
Important Links
To link to the DEP stormwatr website, click on this link www.depweb.state.pa.us/watershedmgmt
For the Bucks County Convservation District, click on www.bucksccd.org
Lower Southampton Township has extensive Ordinance Codes in place for Storm Water Management. To review these Ordinances, go to the tab called Code of Ordinances, and follow the directions to get to the Lower South information. You will then see Stormwater in the index and just click on that for the data.
MS4 - Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
For MS4 status, click on this link:
Stormwater pollution from point sources and nonpoint 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 from 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. Polluted storm water runoff is often transported to municipal
separate storm sewer systems(MS4s) and ultimately discharged into local rivers and streams without treatment. EPA’s Storm Water Phase II Rule establishes an MS4 storm water management program that is
intended to improve the Nation’s waterways by reducing the quantity of pollutants that storm water picks up and carries into storm sewer systems during storm events. Common pollutants include oil and
grease from roadways, pesticides from lawns, sediment from construction sites, and carelessly discarded trash, such as cigarette butts, paper wrappers, and plastic bottles. When deposited into
nearby waterways through MS4 discharges, these pollutants can impair the waterways, thereby discouraging recreational use of the resource, contaminating drinking water supplies, and interfering with
the habitat for fish, other aquatic organisms, and wildlife.
Education and outreach are key components to any successful stormwater program.
What Are the Phase II Small MS4 Program Requirements?
Operators of regulated small MS4s are required to design their programs to:
Reduce the discharge of pollutants to the “maximum extent practicable” (MEP); Protect water quality; and satisfy the appropriate water quality requirements of the Clean Water Act.
Implementation of the MEP standard will typically require the development and implementation of BMPs (Best Management Practice) and the achievement of measurable goals to satisfy each of the six
minimum control measures.
The Phase II Rule defines a small MS4 storm water management program as a program comprising six elements that, when implemented in concert, are expected to result in significant reductions of
pollutants discharged into receiving waterbodies
The Solution to Stormwater Pollution
As stormwater flows over driveways, lawns, and sidewalks, it picks up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants. Stormwater can flow into a storm sewer system or directly to a lake, stream, river, wetland, or coastal water. Anything that enters a storm sewer system is discharged untreated into the waterbodies we use for swimming, fishing, and providing drinking water. Polluted runoff is the nation’s greatest threat to clean water. By practicing healthy household habits, homeowners can keep common pollutants like pesticides, pet waste, grass clippings, and automotive fluids off the ground and out of stormwater. Adopt these healthy household habits and help protect lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands, and coastal waters. Remember to share the habits with your neighbors!
For more information, visit:
- cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater
- www.epa.gov
- Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection-Southeast Region
- Bucks County Conservation District
Businesses also need to be aware that things they do or products they use in their daily operations can enter the stormwater system and effect our water sources. Runoff from construction sites, spills at fueling areas and chemicals used to keep outdoor areas clean can be picked up by rainwater and wisked into the storm sewer system. Visit the National Menu of Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) site to learn what stormwater practices are required by law and what businesses can do help keep pollutants out of the stormwater system.
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