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.

In Schwenksville Borough, that water could contaminate the Perkiomen Creek and its tributaries.  Protect our water and natural areas by helping to reduce the contaminants in our stormwater.  Start with the following tips, and then visit the links below for more information.

• DO NOT DUMP ANYTHING DOWN THE STORM DRAINS – They drain directly to the creek.
• Use the Montgomery County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program to dispose of hazardous household substances, such as used motor oil, cleaning supplies, and paint.
• Use pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides properly to prevent excess runoff.
• Pick up after pets and dispose of their waste properly. If left in your backyard or at the park, pet waste can be carried into the storm sewer system or a stream by stormwater runoff.
• Instead of washing your car in your driveway, take it to a car wash, where the water is treated and recycled.

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!

Stormwater ManagementModern stormwater management frequently includes the installation of “Best Management Practices” (BMPs).  One thing that all BMPs have in common is that they need routine maintenance in order to perform properly.  Since many BMPs are installed on private property and the responsibility of private property owners, it is important that property owners be offered advice on BMP Care.    The Pennsylvania DEP has prepared a Homeowners Guide to Homeowners Guide to Stormwater BMP Maintenance and has provided additional information and resources for homeowners.

Additional resources:

What’s new for 2020?

EPA Stormwater FactSheet on Illicit Discharges

BeStormWaterSmart MS4EducationalBrochure

PennState Extension Webinar for Homeowners (Please note, the webinar is May 20 and registration is required by May 19, so if possible post ASAP!)

The Extension at Home: Homeowner’s Guide to Stormwater live webinar will discuss why stormwater runoff is a problem, and will show proven practices you can use on your property to minimize it!

We hope you can join us!

When
Wed., May 20, 2020
(12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET)

Learn More
Visit the Event Website for More Details

Landscaping with Native Plants
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/plants/nativeplants/

PA Stormwater Best Practices Manual (2006)
www.elibrary.dep.state.pa.us/dsweb/View/Collection-8305

For more information, visit:

• DEP Stormwater Management Program.  On the homepage, selecting “Site Map” from the right side margin will cause many topic links to appear.   Stormwater information can be located by selecting the “Businesses” tab along the top of the homepage, then the “Water” tab, then the “Bureau of Cleanwater” tab, then the “Stormwater Management” tab, and the Municipal Stormwater tab.
• For access to the DEP eLibrary system, select “Citizens” from the DEP homepage, then “Public Records and Documents”.  Items from eLibrary that MS4s may find useful include information on Snow Management and Disposal, Rain Gardens and Rain Barrels, Swimming Pool Water Discharge Guidelines, Management of Cleaning Wastewater, Chapter 92a Fees, the PA Clean Streams Law, the Stormwater Management Act (Act 167), the PA Stormwater BMP Manual, Stream Improvement
• Program, Flood Prevention and Management, Erosion and Sediment Control Requirements, Soil Erosion and Sediment Pollution, Urban Wetlands, Permitting Options for Flood Damaged Bridges and Other Water Obstructions and Encroachments, Emergency Removal of Debris from Streams, General Permits for Work in Waterways, Floodways and Wetlands, and Reporting Requirements for Spills and Pollution Incidents
• greeninfrastructure_healthy_communities_factsheet EPA
• Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection-Southeast Region
• EPA Stormwater Homepage
• EPA Water Pollution Prevention & Control
• EPA MS4 Main Page
• EPA’s Stormwater Toolbox of Educational Materials
• Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Stormwater Information
• Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Rain Garden Blog
• Montgomery County Planning Commission Stormwater Strategy
• Center for Watershed Protection
• National Menu of Stormwater Best Management Practices
• Stormwater Outreach Materials and Reference
• MS4 Fact Sheets
• Polluted Runoff: Nonpoint Source Pollution:
• EPA Watersheds
• nps_urban-facts_final EPA
• greeninfrastructure_healthy_communities_factsheet EPAgreeninfrastructure_healthy_communities_factsheet EPA

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.

Vehicle wastes are among the many common stormwater pollutants that can degrade water quality. Stormwater runoff from vehicle maintenance and repair wastes has been found to contain high concentrations of metals, organics, oil and grease. When these wastes wash into our waters they can kill aquatic organisms. Metals such as chromium, cadmium, lead, and zinc have the potential to contaminate drinking water supplies as well as bioaccumulate in aquatic life. Organics such as engine degreasers, cleaners, and other solvents can also degrade water quality.

Examples of Stormwater Pollution : Sedimentation, Oil in Water and Pollution from road run off – Pollution Prevention

Stormwater Pollutants include sediment, sand, cigarettes, litter, cooking oil and grease, paint, automobile fluids, yard wastes, pet waste, pesticides, and fertilizers.

Schwenksville Borough: Pennsylvania’s First Greenway Community

Schwenksville Borough operates a municipal storm water system that is permitted by the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection. The permit requires that the Borough:

• Continue public education and outreach activities
• Notify and solicit public input/involvement regarding management of the system
• Monitor, test and eliminate illicit discharges from outfalls in the system
• Control construction site stormwater runoff through enforcement of ordinances
• Ensure that all post-construction stormwater improvements in new or re-developed areas are built as designed and are operated and maintained properly
• Implement a pollution prevention program for municipal operations.

For more information or to provide public input please contact the Borough Manager.  Please feel free to browse the links and documents on this page as well.  To report an illicit discharge or illegal dumping please use this citizens complaint – illicit discharge reporting form.

The document(s) below require that you have installed the Adobe Reader, a free program that allows you to view portable document format (PDF) files right from your browser. If you do not have it already you can download directly from Adobe.

A Homeowner’s Guide to Stormwater Management (32 pages 1791 KB)
After the Storm (2 pages 426 KB)
Stormwater and the Construction Industry Poster (1 page(s) 645 KB)
Stormwater BMP’s for Vehicle Service Facilities (15 page(s) 41 KB)
What the Construction Industry Should Know About Stormwater In Our Community (2 pages 57 KB)
When It Rains, It Drains (2 pages 1124 KB)