| Untreated
or uncontrolled storm water runoff
is the number one cause of impairment
in our local waterways. Polluted
runoff is often transported through
municipal storm water systems where
it is eventually discharged into
streams untreated. The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has established
a municipal storm water management
program known as the MS4 Program
that is intended to improve our
Nation’s waters by reducing
the quantities of pollutants that
storm water picks up and carries
into the storm sewer systems during
a storm event. As part of the MS4
Program, your municipality holds
a permit to discharge their storm
water into local waterways. This
permit requires the municipality
to design a storm water management
program that reduces the discharge
of pollutants to the maximum extent
possible, that protects water quality
and that satisfies the water quality
requirements of the Clean Water
Act. In Pennsylvania, the MS4 program
is administered by the Department
of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The
MS4 storm water management
program has six elements termed “minimum
control measures” which
when implemented should result
in significant reduction in
pollutants discharged into
receiving waters. The six minimum
control measures and the actions
required by your municipality
are outlined below.
1)
Public Education and Outreach
Distribute educational materials and conduct outreach
to inform citizens about the impacts that storm water
runoff has on water quality.
2)
Public Participation/Involvement
Provide opportunities for citizens to participate
in the storm water management program or other programs
which improve water quality.
3
)Ilicit Discharge Detection
and Elimination
Develop and implement a plan to detect and eliminate
non storm water discharges into the storm water system.
4)
Construction Site Runoff
Control
Develop, implement and enforce an erosion and sediment
control program for construction site activities
of that disturb one acre or greater.
5)
Post-Construction Runoff
Control
Develop, implement and enforce a program to address
discharges of post-construction storm water runoff
from new development or redevelopment areas.
6)
Pollution Prevention/Good
Housekeeping
Develop and implement a program that reduces or prevents
pollutant runoff from municipal operations
Your
municipality is committed to
improving water quality in
their watershed through better
management of storm water runoff.
Every resident and business
owner can participate in their
municipal storm water program
by reducing or preventing pollutant
runoff from their own property
and by reporting any non storm
water discharges into their
local waterways.
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