Stormwater Management

What is Stormwater?

When it rains or snows, the water soaks into the ground, evaporates back into the atmosphere or runs off. This runoff, also known as stormwater, has some obvious impacts such as flooding and erosion. Some less obvious, but equally important, impacts of stormwater runoff include increased pollution, reduced ground water supplies, and lower stream flows during dry spells.

Traditionally, stormwater has been seen as a nuisance to be collected and dumped into the nearest ditch or stream and disposed of. Unfortunately, such an approach neglects the reality that most of us live or work downstream of someone else. As a result, our neighbor&s nuisance becomes our problem, which in turn becomes a problem for our downstream neighbors.

What is Stormwater Management?

Stormwater management involves the control of water that runs off the surface of the land from rain or melting ice or snow. The volume and rate of runoff substantially increase as land development occurs. Construction of impervious surfaces, such as roofs and parking lots, and the installation of storm sewer pipes which efficiently collect and discharge runoff, prevent infiltration of rainfall into the soil.

Management of stormwater is necessary to compensate for the possible impacts of development such as flooding, erosion and sedimentation problems, concentration on flow on adjacent properties, damages to roads, bridges and other infrastructure as well as non-point source pollution washed off from impervious surfaces.

The Borough is required to obtain a permit under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) in order to operate a storm sewer system. The permit, called a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit, requires the Borough to take certain steps to ensure that stormwater in the Borough is properly managed and controlled. It also requires that the Borough educate the public about storm water impacts, as well as provide opportunities for public involvement and participation. To read more about the MS4 program, permits and impacts click on the links below:

Trappe Borough prepares and submits an annual report on our ongoing efforts to achieve the above-noted minimal control measures. To request a copy of the most recent annual report, please contact Trappe Borough at 610-489-7181 or email borough manager Jacqui Guenther.

What Can You Do To Help?

Below are stormwater educational pamphlets and materials prepared by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP):

Stormwater Information for Trappe Borough Homeowners and Families:

Information for Trappe Borough Businesses:

Stormwater is Everybody's Business!

Citizens can help report violations or problems they notice in their local streams before they cause more damage and pollution. Residents sometimes may be the first to recognize "illicit" discharges being directed into storm sewers or flowing out of storm sewer outfall pipes into streams. "Dry weather flows" (flows from storm sewer outfall pipes after 72 hours or more without rain) should be reported to your municipality for further investigation.

You can help by promptly reporting the following events to the authorities listed below. Here are some of the conditions that you should report and to whom they should be reported.

Sediment leaving a construction site during rain events and other construction violations (Montgomery County Conservation District)
Observed pollution event or pollutants in stream (DEP).
Clogged, leaking or overflowing sanitary sewer lines (CTJPW)
Spills, hazardous materials (DEP or PEMA hotlines)
Illegal dumping into water courses or storm sewers (CTJPW,DEP)
Dry weather flows from storm sewer outfall pipes into streams (Borough of Trappe)
Fish kills (Fish Commission, DEP)
Water main breaks (CTJPW, DEP)

Water pollution events can also be reported online through the DEP web site www.dep.state.pa.us select Environmental Complaints, then Southeast Region.

DEP Stormwater Management Progream
Online
DEP Water Quality Complaint Hotline
484-250-5991 or 5970
Monday to Friday 8am to 4:30 pm
DEP 24-Hour Water Quality Hotline
484-250-5900 or 800-541-2050 (toll free)
Anytime, including evenings and weekends
Spills and other Emergencies Hotline
PA DEP 484-250-5900
PA Emergency Mgt. Agency 800-424-7362
Off site discharge of sediment
Montgomery County Conservation District 610-489-4506
Send photo, full address and directions
Clogged, leaking, overflowing sewer lines
Collegeville-Trappe Joint Public Works Department (CTJPWD) 610- 489-2831
After hours call 911; if sewage is entering water courses, also call DEP
Fish Kills, Illegal Fishing
PA Fish & Boat Commission 717-626-0228
For fish kills, also call DEP at 484-250-5991, 5970 or 5900
Dry weather storm sewer outfall flows
Borough of Trappe, 610-489-7181
Weekdays during working hours
Broken water mains
Collegeville-Trappe Joint Public Works Department (CTJPWD) 610- 489-2831
Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy
Online