Sewickley Township’s Stormwater Program
Sewickley Township recognizes that storm water is a very important natural resource that provides a source for our drinking water supplies, water for our crops, lawns and gardens, and a replenishment of our streams, ponds and lakes which in turn provide recreation opportunities and enhanced aesthetic value to our community. In order to protect our natural waterways, Sewickley Township has implemented a program to regulate the storm water that is intercepted by its municipal separate storm sewer system, or MS4. This program was initiated by a state-wide mandate for small- to medium-sized communities with MS4s, such as Sewickley Township, to be permitted under the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (PADEP’s) National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II permit program. This webpage provides general information on storm water and on the Township’s MS4 stormwater program.
Stormwater runoff comes from rainwater/snowmelt that runs into larger bodies of water. Precipitation cannot infiltrate impervious surfaces like pavement, roofs, and sidewalks. Precipitation can infiltrate into soil and grass. We cannot make everything an impervious surface, so there is stormwater runoff that causes several problems.
It takes everyone to provide continual improvement to the waterways within Sewickley Township. We would hope that every person realizes that what is dumped into the Township’s MS4 system, ultimately ends up in the streams, rivers and lakes that we all care about. Here are several things each of us can do to help keep our waterways clean.
- Sweep yard debris off the street.
- Compost yard debris or put it in the trash rather than hosing it into the streets.
- Keep grass height to at least three inches.
- Longer grass retains more rainwater and requires less fertilizer.
- Do not wash your car in the driveway.
- Wash your car at a carwash that recycles the water or wash your car in the grass where it will soak up the water to keep it from becoming stormwater runoff.
- Use pesticides according to the instructions.
- Do not use more than directed and do not use right before a rainstorm to prevent extra chemicals running into our waterways.
- Pick up after pets.
- Pet waste contains bacteria and can be a source of stormwater pollution.
- Grow a garden or more plants.
- Increasing the number of surfaces that can be infiltrated reduces the amount of stormwater runoff.
- Notify the Township’s Code Enforcement Office at 724-446-7202 if you see any pollutants or non-stormwater discharge in the Township’s MS4 system or natural waterways.