Storm Water / MS4 Program

TOWNSHIP DEMONSTRATES COMPLIANCE WITH MS4 PROGRAM NPDES STORMWATER PERMIT

Brighton Township submits an Annual Report to the Department of Environmental Protection for completion of the specified program requirements for the NPDES Storm Water permitting cycle. These requirements are part of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). The goal of the MS4 program is to reduce the discharge of pollutants in order to protect water quality. The Township will continue to implement requirements of the MS4 program to protect water resources in the community. Among other things, the Township:

Distributes public education material to the residents and other applicable groups. This includes important information within the Township newsletters mailed to each household.
Conducts a public education meeting on the MS4 program and the Township’s implementation efforts at least one time per year.
Participates in the placement of a stormwater display advertisement in the Beaver County Times newspaper organized by the Beaver County Regional C.O.G for multi-municipal participants as a cost-sharing method.
Inspects a minimum of 20% of the Township’s permitted storm water outfalls annually for illicit discharges.
The Township has adopted and enforces all provisions of the PA DEP’s model storm water ordinance. Engineering review and approval of storm water management plans are required prior to approval of new developments.
Enforces Township ordinances by reviewing erosion and sediment control plans.

You can help too. Remember, water that goes into a storm sewer eventually drains to a stream. Please:

Monitor storm sewer inlets near your property. No one should be dumping anything into the storm sewer system. Contact the Police Department immediately if you witness illegal dumping.
Clean up after your pets and dispose of their waste properly.
Use fertilizers properly and efficiently to prevent excess runoff.
Properly store materials that could contaminate water supply.
Report any chemical spills.

Reporting Illicit Discharges

Each person can help Brighton Township protect water and other natural resources by reporting possible or suspected incidents of illicit discharges to storm sewers or other stormwater conveyances. Examples of illicit discharges are sewage, chemicals, oils, paints or similar products. Also report any incident of illegal dumping. You can make a report by:

Utilizing the Illicit Discharge Complaint Form in the Related Documents and submitting it to the Township Manager by mail to 1300 Brighton Road, Beaver, PA 15009.
Sending an email to brightontwp@brightontwp.org with detailed information on the suspected illicit discharge, including location.
By phone to the Township Manager at (724) 774-4800.Environmental Emergencies should be reported immediately to 911.

In July 2022, Pennsylvania adopted a new fertilizer law designed to minimize the movement of nutrients into our waterways. According to Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), Pennsylvania now contains over 2 million acres of lawn. Anyone who applies fertilizers should be aware of the requirements of the new fertilizer law.

Attached is the newsletter article and weblink to review.

( https://pacast.com/players/cmsplayerHD.asp?video_filename=23269_Agric_Fertlizer_home_captions.m4v ).

https://brightontwp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/When-You-Fertilize-PDA-Newsletter-article.pdf

For more information on Stormwater Management and the MS4 requirements, visit the PA DEP or EPA websites at the following links:

https://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Water/CleanWater/StormwaterMgmt/Stormwater/pages/default.aspx

http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/npdes/stormwater/Municipal-Separate-Storm-Sewer-System-MS4-Main-Page.cfm

Educational Posters:

Car Wash	Fertilizer	Oil Slick	Pet Waste

Homeowner Pamphlets & Brochure:

“After the Storm”	“Solution to Pollution”	“Urban Runoff”

“Water Efficient Landscaping”	“When It Rains, It Drains”	Reducing Runoff

You Can Curb Water Pollution by Starting in Your Own Back Yard