Stormwater

What is Stormwater?

Stormwater is rain and snowmelt that flows across impervious surfaces like roads, buildings, and parking areas. During storm events, polluted runoff is collected and conveyed through the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4), and then discharged directly into local streams. The MS4 includes stormwater pipes, inlets, roadways, swales, and detention basins. Stormwater picks up numerous polluting substances as it flows across the ground surface including manure, soil/sediment, fertilizer, chemicals, petroleum products, trash, and bacteria. Stormwater runoff is regulated under the Federal Clean Water Act and administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). The purpose of Upper Leacock  Township’s Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) is to comply with the regulation, ensure stormwater runoff is conveyed to downstream areas as safely as possible,  and to protect the water quality of our local streams.

Water Cycle Glossary and Termshttps://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.oberk.com%2fwatercycleglossaryofterms&c=E,1,W6agNscOCP3TXTrzjVyEK6WKPuOsH5VUuDMqVR6jhwvgcWYRQn_jK3qnTaU66kohzJGJD9yIPPMBxFzOAz0vUn5eCgsyHq3LzIayb1NFe77Y&typo=1

 

ULT’s Stormwater Management Program (SWMP)

In October 2019, Upper Leacock Township received a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Individual Permit for Stormwater Discharges. The EPA and PADEP regulations require the Township to develop a SWMP and implement best management practices (BMPs) to support the following six Minimum Control Measures (MCMs):

  • MCM #1 Public Education and Outreach
  • MCM #2 Public Participation and Involvement
  • MCM #3 Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
  • MCM #4 Construction Site Runoff Control
  • MCM #5 Post-Construction Stormwater Management
  • MCM #6 Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping

The Township has developed the following documents to comply with MS4 Permit requirements: 

ULT’s Stormwater Management Fee

A stormwater management fee will provide a sustainable source of funding to comply with the Township’s MS4 Permit requirements (which are an unfunded mandate from EPA and PADEP) and to operate and maintain stormwater system infrastructure. A stormwater fee will be billed annually to each property owner in the Township with more than 500 square feet of impervious area, starting in January 2023. The fee is calculated based on the land use classification and impervious area of each property. Each property will be classified as Single-Family Residential, Non-Single-Family / Non-Agriculture, or Agriculture. Information for each classification is provided for each classification on the Left Side of this Page.

What Can You Do to Protect and Improve Water Quality?

There are a lot of things you can do to manage stormwater on your own property from planting a rain garden, implementing a Conservation or Agricultural Erosion & Sediment Control Plan, and participating in water quality improvement projects such as stream clean-ups and tree planting events. (provide downloadable .pdf files of each)

Government Agencies and Environmental Organizations