Stormwater Management

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection administers the Federal Clean Water Act under the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer (MS4) Program. The MS4 Program is intended to improve the Nation’s waterways by reducing the quantity of pollutants that stormwater picks up and carries into storm sewers during storm events. Pennsylvania has close to 1,000 jurisdictions that are considered Small Municipal Separate Stormwater Systems that are subject to the provisions of the program, including Bethel Township.

Under the MS4 Program, permittees, including Bethel Township, are required to incorporate six Best Management Practices, or minimum control measures (MCMs), into their stormwater management programs. The six MCMs are designed to reduce the discharge of pollutants from MS4s, to the maximum extent practicable, to protect water quality, and to satisfy the appropriate recommendations of the Federal Clean Water Act. The six elements include:

Residents can learn more about these regulations and the need to improve stormwater quality by visiting the  Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) stormwater website . Additional information can also be found by visiting the websites of the  Chester-Ridley-Crum Watersheds Association the Darby Creek Valley Association, or by clicking the links below:

For additional tips and resources for reducing pollution and protecting our waterbodies, please see our see Bethel Township Resources for Greener Stormwater Management.