Stormwater Management
Stormwater Management and Regulations
A guide to Healthy Habits for Cleaner Water
Pollution on streets, parking lots and lawns is washed by rain into storm drains, then directly to our drinking water supplies and the ocean and lakes our children play in. Fertilizer, oil, pesticides, detergents, pet waste, grass clippings: You name it and it ends up in our water.
Stormwater pollution is one of New Jersey’s greatest threats to clean and plentiful water, and that’s why we’re all doing something about it.
By Sharing the responsibility and making small, easy changes in our daily lives, we can keep common pollutants out of stormwater. It all adds up to cleaner water, and it saves the high cost of cleaning up once it’s dirty.
As part of New Jersey’s initiative to keep our water clean and plentiful and to meet federal requirements, many municipalities and other public agencies including colleges and military bases must adopt ordinances or other rules prohibiting various activities that contribute to stormwater pollution. Breaking these rules can result in fines or other penalties. Click here to see our Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
Our Stormwater Control Ordinance can be found in Chapter 8 of our Land Development Ordinances in addition to the following Stormwater related Ordinances that have been adopted within the Township of Pennsville and are a part of the codified Township Ordinances and Land Development Ordinances :
- Township Ordinance A-15-2019 “Stormwater Run Off”
- Township Ordinance A-16-2019 “Storm Drain Inlet Retrofitting”
- Township Ordinance A-17-2019 “Chapter 24 Stormwater Regulations”
- Pet Waste Ordinance
- Litter Control Ordinance
- Improper Disposal of Waste Ordinance
- Wildlife Feeding Ordinance
- Containerized Yard Waste / Yard Waste Collection Ordinance
- Illicit Connection Ordinance
- Refuse Container Ordinance
- Private Storm Drain Inlet Retrofitting Ordinance
- Stormwater Control Ordinance – Revised February 4, 2021
Local Groups such as, school district, faith based groups and other community youth groups are encouraged to contact the Township Clerk for organizing a litter cleanup along a local waterway, parks or roadways which have stormwater facilities.
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As a resident, business, or other member of the New Jersey community, it is important to know these easy things you can do every day to protect our water.
Limit your use of fertilizers and pesticides
- Do a soil test to see if you need a fertilizer.
- Do not apply fertilizers if heavy rain is predicted.
- Look into alternatives for pesticides.
- Maintain a small lawn and keep the rest of your property or yard in a natural state with trees and other native vegetation that requires little or no fertilizer.
- If you use fertilizers and pesticides, follow the instructions on the label on how to correctly apply it. Make sure you properly store or discard any unused portions.
Properly use and dispose of hazardous products
- Hazardous products include some household or commercial cleaning products, lawn and garden care products, motor oil, antifreeze and paints.
- Do not pour any hazardous products down a storm drain because storm drains are usually connected to local waterbodies and the water is not treated.
- If you have hazardous products in your home or workplace, make sure you store or dispose of them properly. Read the label for guidance.
- Use natural of less toxic alternatives when possible.
- Recycle used motor oil.
- Contact your municipality, county or facility management office for the locations of hazardous-waste disposal facilities.
Keep pollution out of storm drains
- Municipalities and many other public agencies are required to mark certain storm drain inlets with messages reminding people that storm drains are connected to local waterbodies.
- Do not let sewage or other waste flow into a stormwater system.
Clean up after your pet
- Many municipalities and public agencies must enact and enforce local pet-waste rules.
- An example is requiring pet owners or their keepers to pick up and properly dispose of pet waste dropped on public or other people’s property.
- Make sure you know your town’s or agency’s requirements and comply with them It’s the law. And remember to:
- Use newspaper, bags or pooper-scoopers to pick up waste.
- Dispose of the wrapped pet waste in the trash or unwrapped in a toilet.
- Never discard pet waste in a storm drain.
Don’t Feed Wildlife
- Do not feed wildlife, such as ducks, geese, in public areas.
- Many municipalities and other public agencies must enact and enforce a rule that prohibits wildlife feeding in these areas.
Don’t Litter
- Place litter in trash receptacles.
- Recycle. Recycle. Recycle.
- Participate in community cleanups.
Dispose of yard waste properly
- Keep leaves and grass out of storm drains.
- If your municipality or agency has yard waste collection rules, follow them.
- Use leaves and grass clippings as a resource for compost.
- Use a mulching mower that recycles grass clippings into the lawn.
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Stormwater Drainage System Video Inspection Project.
There are approximately 63 miles of storm water drainage pipes, 43 miles of ditches, 41 tide gates, 10 storm water pump stations with varying number of pumps, 13 storm system junction boxes, 285 storm system manholes and 2,340 storm inlets in the Township of Pennsville storm water drainage system.
Since 2011 the Township GIS Office, Sewerage Authority and Public Works Department have been engaged in the Storm Water Drainage System Video Inspection Project. This year round project was initiated as a way to help identify areas of drainage concerns in conjunction with the Storm Water Drainage System GIS Mapping Projects. The goal is to get a better understanding of the condition of the existing drainage structures, identify areas of concern, and map the locations of concern. Identifying and mapping the areas of concern gives the township governing body a more coherent image and understanding of storm water drainage conditions and their relationship to other areas of concern.
Additionally, drainage pipes and their associated structures located within the right-of-way streets that have been designated to be repaved, are inspected prior to repaving to identify and correct any situations that may have a negative impact on the repaved road.
Some of the problems found were due to pipes and inlets being clogged by debris, silt, grass clippings, leaves and/or tree roots. In some pipes, plastic bottles, aluminum cans and other types of recyclables and garbage were lodged in the storm pipes and inlets. These issues were ameliorated by jetting the pipes and vacuuming the debris from the system.
When possible, and if necessary, repairs to drainage structures have been made as the issues were discovered. Situations that require more involved repairs are added to a list and will be completed in a systematic fashion.
The ongoing Storm Water Drainage System Video Inspection Project coupled with the Storm Water Drainage System GIS Mapping Project will help enable the Township to identify and prioritize areas of drainage concerns. These projects will also allow the Township to get a better understanding of the relationship between different areas of drainage concerns. Ultimately this will allow for a more effective approach to resolving ongoing drainage issues throughout the Township of Pennsville.
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Stormwater Documents
More Information
For more information on stormwater related topics, visit:
or
Additional information is also available at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Web Sites
or
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Water Quality
Burau of Nonpoint Pollution Control
Municipal Stormwater Regulations Program
(609) 633-7021
