Mountville Borough Is Taking Action to Reduce Stormwater Pollution

What is stormwater pollution? As rain and snowmelt flow across the impervious surfaces in our community, it can pick up a variety of pollutants including heavy metals, bacteria, fertilizers, grass clippings and trash. Impervious surfaces like driveways, sidewalks and streets prevent stormwater from naturally soaking into the ground, leading to increased runoff. Much stormwater runoff drains into road inlets and pipes and is discharged directly into our local streams. These pollutants are harmful to the fish and wildlife that depend on clean water to thrive. They are also harmful to us.

To reduce stormwater pollution and improve local water quality Mountville Borough had to develop, implement and has to enforce a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP). This is required by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit which regulates stormwater discharge from the Borough’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4): a series of inlets, pipes and swales that collect, convey and discharge stormwater directly into our streams. When stormwater management is done well, streams, rivers and lakes are cleaner; flood risks are reduced; costs due to flood damage decrease; and community quality of life increases.

The goals of stormwater management are:

To protect our environment;
To reduce flooding to protect people and property;
To reduce demand on public stormwater drainage systems;
To support healthy streams and rivers;
To create healthier, more sustainable communities.

How Residents Can Help Achieve the Borough’s MS4 Goals:

Properly dispose of hazardous substances such as used oil, cleaning supplies, and paint. Never pour them down any part of the storm sewer system and report anyone who does.
Be cautious with pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides and utilize them properly and efficiently to prevent excess runoff.
Look for signs of soil, debris, and/or chemicals leaving construction sites via stormwater runoff or by being tracked onto roads by construction vehicles.
Install innovative stormwater practices on residential properties, such as rain barrels or rain gardens, which capture stormwater and keep it on site instead of letting it drain away into the storm sewer system.
Pick up after pets and dispose of their waste properly. No matter where pets make a mess, in a backyard or at the park, stormwater runoff can carry pet waste from land to the storm sewer system, and ultimately to a stream.
Keep leaves, grass and other debris off of the road curb line in front of your property so they do not clog or contaminate the storm sewer system.
Properly dispose of swimming pool water by draining the water into the sanitary sewer system. Pool water should not be drained into any stormwater facility.
Report any illegal dumping or suspicious discharges into storm drain. Click here to access the reporting form.