Stormwater
Pollution from stormwater is one of the biggest environmental problems facing society. Today, in urban and suburban areas, much of the land is covered with buildings and pavement. This does not allow rain or snowmelt to soak into the ground. Further, most developed areas rely on storm drains to carry large amounts of runoff from roofs and paved areas to nearby waterways.
The porous and varied terrain of natural landscapes such as forests, wetlands and grasslands help to trap rainwater and snowmelt, allowing the water to filter slowly into the ground. In contrast, impervious or nonporous surfaces like roads, parking lots and rooftops prevent rain and snowmelt from infiltrating or soaking into the ground. Most of the rainfall and snowmelt remains above the surface, where it runs off rapidly in unnaturally large amounts. Because of impervious surfaces like pavement and roof tops, a typical city block generates more than five times the amount of runoff that a woodland area of the same size would generate.
The runoff generated by rain and snow melt picks up fertilizers, dirt, chemicals, pesticides, oil, grease and many other pollutants and discharges these pollutants into our streams and rivers. This untreated discharge is detrimental to water quality in our streams and lakes, such as Lake Nockamixon. The water from most of the streams in Richland Township ends up in Lake Nockamixon.
The concern about stormwater runoff is one of the reasons that Richland Township limits the amount of impervious surface areas that are allowed on lots and adopted an earth disturbance ordinance in 1995 and a stormwater management ordinance in 2000. Today we are partnering with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection through the federally mandated MS4 Program to help protect the environment from stormwater pollution.
Prevention is the most economical and cost effective way to eliminate stormwater pollution. By following simple cost free guidelines, we can all reduce the amount of pollution reaching our streams. In addition, there are many low cost things that we can do that, in addition to reducing pollution, can provide additional benefits to us and our properties.
Are you part of the Problem?
You may be contributing to water pollution without even realizing it. Before you exclude yourself as part of the problem, check if any of the following situations exist at your home:
When you think about it there is a good chance that we are contributing to water pollution. However, there are many things that we can do to help. In many cases, simply changing some of our practices can help. We should seek to reduce the volume of our stormwater runoff and to reduce the amount of pollution that our runoff carries away.
Keep in Mind:
Dumping yard waste or chemicals, such as paint and used motor oil, down storm drains is not only harmful, it is illegal. If you observe someone dumping materials down a storm drain, please report it as soon as possible. You may call the Richland Township Police Department at 215-536-9500 or the Township Office at 215-536-4066. Also, please report anything you see in a stream that you do not believe should be there.
For more information about these matters, please click on the links below.
Center for Watershed Protection
PA DEP Stormwater Management
Pennsylvania Native Plant Society
Bucks County Conservation District
Partnership for Delaware Estuary
Upper Tohickon Watershed Association
Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy
Hazardous Waste Drop Off Information
Stormwater Article from Newsletter
The Importance of Cleaning Up After Your Pet
1328 California Rd, Suite A • Quakertown, PA 18951 • Phone: 215-536-4066 • Fax: 215-538-3020