Stormwater Management
Stormwater runoff is generated when precipitation from rain and snowmelt events flows over land or impervious surfaces and does not percolate into the ground. As the runoff flows over the land or impervious surfaces (paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops), it accumulates debris, chemicals, sediment or other pollutants that could adversely affect water quality if the runoff is discharged untreated.
You can make a difference and help us keep our local waters clean. As a visitor to this site, you’ve already taken the first step: getting informed. Step two: adopt a couple of clean water habits, such as:
- Picking up after your pets and disposing of their waste properly
- Applying fertilizer and pesticides in the proper amounts. Besides costing more, excess fertilizers just run off your lawn and into streams, where they cause nutrient-loading which in turn deprives aquatic species of proper oxygen levels
- Maintaining your vehicle properly, and most importantly, not dumping oil or any type of fluid down storm drains
- Washing your vehicle on grassed areas so that water with pollutants filter down through the ground and do not run directly into the storm drain system
- Not littering, as litter often washes away along with storm water and can be ingested by fish, birds, or other wildlife.
What Residents Can Help Watch For:
- Sediment leaving a construction site in stormwater
- Spills (Chemical, Gas, Oil)
- On-going illegal dumping activity into streams or storm sewers (PLEASE CALL 911 FIRST)
- Dry weather flows from outfall pipes into streams (72 hours after a rain storm)
Residents may be the first to recognize “illicit” discharges dumping into storm sewers or coming out of from storm sewer outfalls. If you see an “illicit” discharge please report that to the Township by one of the following methods:
- Call the Township Office at (215) 249-3320 between 8AM and 4 PM, Monday thru Friday
- Send an e-mail to Jeffrey Heacock, Director of Public Works at jheacock@bedminsterpa.com
Stormwater Management Documents
Stormwater Management Ordinance
Green Solution to SWM
Curb Water Pollution
FEMA | Federal Emergency Management Agency
PA Department of Environmental Protection
Center for Watershed Protection
Maintain Your BMPs
Maintain Your BMPs II
Swimming Pool Guidelines
Bucks County Conservation District
Clean Water Partners
Green Guide for Property Management
Stormwater Info-Chester County Water Resource Authority
Discover ways of protecting-restoring our rivers & sources of drinking water
PA Clean Streams Law
PA SWM BMP Manual
EPA Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox
Temple-Villanova Sustainable Stormwater Initiative
EPA – Green Infrastructure
EPA – Structures Mosquitos
EPA – Best Management Practices for SWM
EPA SWM
EPA National Pollutant Discharge
Homeowners Guide to Stormwater BMP Maintenance
DEP Construction SWM (booklet)
EPA Protecting Water Quality from Urban runoff
Brown Water, Green Weeds
DEP Intro to Wetlands
DEP Wetlands – Functions at the Junction
DEP Facts & Falsehoods Trivia
EPA How Does Your Garden Grow
Ten Things to Prevent Stormwater Runoff