Stormwater management is an important part of today's environment. It involves the control of water that runs off the surface of land from rain and the melting of ice or snow. The volume, or amount of runoff and its rate of runoff, substantially increases 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.
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North Fayette Township has been granted a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit by the Pennsylvania DEP. This permit lasts for 5 years and establishes what the responsibilities of the Municipality, land owners, and the residents are. In this permit, there are six Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) that have goals which the Municipality must meet. It is important for everyone to be educated on stormwater and the requirements of the MS4 permit.
We are often asked, "Why is the management of stormwater so important?" It is because "Stormwater becomes a problem when it picks up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants as it flows or when it causes flooding and erosion of stream banks. Stormwater travels through a system of pipes and roadside ditches that make up storm sewer systems. It eventually flows directly to a lake, river, stream, wetland, or coastal water. All of the pollutants storm water carries along the way empty into our waters, too, because stormwater does not get treated!"