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 Stormwater Management

OUR WATER.  TAKE IT PERSONALLY.

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NEW ARTICLES - Published by the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy: (Copies also available at the Township Office.)

• Decreasing Mosquitoes with Stormwater Basins and Rain Gardens
• What is Non-point Source Pollution and how is it Tied to Stormwater?
• Stormwater Pollution:  Everyone's Problem (Pollution Examples:  cigarette butts, cans, tires, plastics, soaps, oils, fertilizers, pesticides, car fluids, grass, yard waste, pet waste, compost, leaky septic systems, soil from bare earth, eroded stream banks, construction sites.)

Stormwater Ordinances: 
Upper Salford Township adopted a Stormwater Management Ordinance (Ordinance 2005-2) on February 8, 2005.  A new subchapter of the Stormwater Management Ordinance (Ordinance 2006-1), addressing stormwater management for properties in the East Branch Perkiomen Creek Watershed, was adopted on April 19, 2006. 

Stormwater: 
Stormwater is the precipitation that falls on roofs, lawns and paved areas and is carried away by a system of stormwater pipes, culverts and ditches.  Collectively, the draining water is called storm water runoff. 

The problem:  
Storm water becomes a problem with it picks up debris, chemicals, dirt, pet waste, and other pollutants as it flows into the waterbodies we use for swimming, fishing and drinking untreated.  Excessive debris can clog inlets, causing flooding and erosion of stream banks.  

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System" (MS4):

Click here for more information on the MS4 stormwater management program.

 Important ways to prevent storm water pollution:

• Properly dispose of hazardous substances such as used oil, cleaning supplies and paint – never pour them down any part of the storm sewer system and report anyone who does.
• Use pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides properly and efficiently to prevent excess runoff.
• Look for signs of soil and other pollutants, such as debris and chemicals, leaving construction sites in storm water runoff or tracked into roads by construction vehicles.  Report poorly managed construction sites that could impact storm water runoff to your community.
• Install innovative storm water practices on residential property, such as rain barrels or rain gardens, that capture storm water and keep it on site instead of letting it drain away into the storm sewer system.
• Report any discharges from storm water outfalls during times of dry weather – a sign that there could be a problem with the storm sewer system.
• Store materials that could pollute storm water indoors and use containers for outdoor storage that do not rust or leak to eliminate exposure of materials to storm water. 

What is an Illicit Discharge?

Federal regulations define an illicit discharge as any discharge to the storm sewer system that is not composed entirely of stormwater.  There are exceptions to this rule such as firefighting activities, landscape irrigation, foundation drains, water from crawl space pumps etc.   

Sources of illicit discharges include:  

•  sanitary wastewater
• failing septic systems
• car wash waste water
• improper oil disposal
• radiator flushing disposal
• spills from roadway accidents
• improper disposal of household toxics or improper use of pesticides and herbicides etc.  

Illicit discharges enter the system either through direct connections (deliberate pipe hookups to the storm drain system) or indirect connections (spills collected by drain outlets, or deliberate dumping down the storm drain.) These illicit discharges drain directly to the creeks and streams and may be loaded with a large amount of harmful and toxic substances.  These pollutants enter the aquatic system and degrade the water quality and threaten wildlife and human health.  Those who allow prohibited discharge to enter the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) are in violation of the Stormwater Management Ordinance and can be subject to a fine.

For additional Information, click here

To Report Illicit discharges, click here

Where to go to continue the information flow:

Your community is preventing storm water pollution through a storm water management program.  This program addresses storm water pollution from construction, new development, illegal dumping to the storm sewer system, and pollution prevention and good housekeeping practices in municipal operations.  It will also continue to educate the community and get everyone involved in making sure the only thing that storm water contributes to our water is . . .  water!  Contact your community’s storm water management program coordinator of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for more information about storm water management.