Stormwater Management
Protect our water resources. Whether your water comes from a well or water treatment plant, the watershed is the source of your drinking water.
Ways You Can Protect Our Water Supply
When rains come down the storm water flows over roofs, across lawns, and down driveways, sidewalks, and roads before entering stormwater drains. The water entering those drains go directly to our water supply, along with all the dirt, debris, and chemicals it picked up along the way. In East Rockhill, that water could contaminate Three Mile Run, Lake Nockamixon, and East Branch Perkiomen Creek. Protect our water and natural areas by helping to reduce the contaminants in our stormwater. Start with the following tips, and use the links to the right and below to learn more ways to protect our water.
- Use the Bucks 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.
East Rockhill Township operates a municipal storm water system that is permitted by the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection. The permit requires that the Township:
- Continue public education and outreach activities
- Notify and solicit public input/involvement regarding management of the system
- Monitor, test and illiminate 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.
More About Stormwater
- Rutgers University "Dentention Basin Retrofits and Maintenance"
- Stormwater and Runoff Primer
- A Citizens Guide to Understanding Stormwater
- Native Plants: Why they are important
- Water efficient Landscaping
- Rain Drain Brochure
- The Solution to Stormwater Pollution
- Protecting Water Quality from Urban Runoff
- Stormwater and the Construction Industry
- Stormwater Management—an Overview for Auto Recyclers
Public Education Survey
(Only 5 questions!!!)
Related Links
- Water Conservation Tips
- Swimming Pool Guidelines
- Bucks County Conservation District
- Pennridge Area Coordinating Committee (PACC)
- Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Center for Watershed Protection
- Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
- DEP Southeast Regional Office
-
DEP Stormwater Management
- DEP Stormwater Outreach Materials and Reference Documents
- EPA Stormwater Discharges from MS4s
- EPA Stormwater Program
- EPA Stormwater Management Guide for Construction Sites
- EPA NPDES Permit Program Basics
- EPA MS4 Fact Sheets
Suggested Service Projects
Residents interested in getting involved can volunteer to coordinate a stormwater management service project. Contact the township manager for more information.
Develop ‘Adopt a Storm Drain’
This project requires skills in advertising/public relations, fundraising, and database design. The project coordinator will develop an online maintenance log for reporting maintenance activities or reporting the need for repairs, design a program for adopting specific storm drains in the township, advertise the program, and fundraise for the start-up costs for necessary safety vests, tools, and supplies for volunteers.
Organize Stream Clean-up Day
This project requires skills in organization, leadership, public relations and community outreach, and fundraising. The project coordinator will select stream segments for clean-up, secure access agreements, solicit volunteers, secure supplies and equipment, and plan and manage the event.
Design a Web Video
This project requires skills in video production and research. The project coordinator will produce and film an educational web video about East Rockhill Township's municipal stormwater system and NPDES Permit Requirements. The video should focus on defining illicit discharges, why people should care about illicit discharges, and what people can do to help protect our water sources.
Create a Rain Garden
This project requires skills in organization and leadership, public relations and community outreach, design/research, and fundraising. The project coordinator will evaluate township owned properties to select a location for, design, and construct a rain garden.
Design Your Own Project
Residents that have another idea for a service project and the skills to implement it can contact manager@eastrockhilltownship.org with your project ideas.
