The Town of Haverstraw has enacted Stormwater Management Regulations (SMRs) to protect and safe guard the general health, safety and welfare of the public residing with in the Town of Haverstraw and the natural resources of Town. As part of the SMRs the above noted has been designated the Stormwater Management Officer (SMO) for the Town of Haverstraw. The SMO shall oversee the SMRs and manage the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s).

Stormwater

What is stormwater?

Stormwater is water from rain or melting snow that doesn't soak into the ground but runs off into waterways. It flows from rooftops, over paved areas and bare soil, and through sloped lawns while picking up a variety of materials on its way. The quality of runoff is affected by a variety of factors and depends on the season, local meteorology, geography and upon activities which lie in the path of the flow.

Stormwater runoff carries pollutants into waterbodies

What's the problem?

As it flows, stormwater runoff collects and transports pollutants to surface waters. Although the amount of pollutants from a single residential, commercial, industrial or construction site may seem unimportant, the combined concentrations of contaminants threaten our lakes, rivers, wetlands and other water bodies. Pollution conveyed by stormwater degrades the quality of drinking water, damages fisheries and habitat of plants and animals that depend on clean water for survival. Pollutants carried by stormwater can also affect recreational uses of water bodies by making them unsafe for wading, swimming, boating and fishing. According to an inventory conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), half of the impaired waterways are affected by urban/suburban and construction sources of stormwater runoff.

Examples of Pollution in Stormwater

• Nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen can promote the overgrowth of algae, deplete oxygen in the waterway and be harmful to other aquatic life.
• Bacteria from animal wastes and illicit connections to sewerage systems can make nearby lakes and bays unsafe for wading, swimming and the propagation of edible shellfish.
• Oil and grease from automobiles causes sheen and odor and makes transfer of oxygen difficult for aquatic organisms.
• Sediment from construction activities clouds waterways and interferes with the habitat of living things that depend upon those waters.
• Careless application of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers affect the health of living organisms and cause ecosystem imbalances.
• Litter damages aquatic life, introduces chemical pollution, and diminishes the beauty of our waterways.

What can be done?

Significant improvements have been achieved in controlling pollutants that are discharged from sewage and wastewater treatment plants. Across the nation, attention is being shifted to sources of pollution, such as stormwater runoff, that are not normally treated by wastewater treatment plants. Stormwater management, especially in urban areas, is becoming a necessary step in seeking further reductions in pollution in our waterways.

The best way to control contamination to stormwater is usually at the source, where the contaminants can be identified, reduced or contained before being conveyed to surface water. More often than not, it's more expensive and difficult to remove the combination of contaminants that are present at the end-of-pipe where stormwater is finally discharged directly to a receiving waterbody. Sometimes, significant improvements can be made by employing best management practices, or "BMPs". Proper storage of chemicals, good housekeeping and just plain paying attention to what's happening during runoff events can lead to relatively inexpensive ways of preventing pollutants from getting into the runoff in the first place and then our waterways.

Regulatory Requirements

The U.S.EPA and NYSDEC are increasing their attention in several ways. There are three State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) general permits required for activities associated stormwater discharges.

• The Multi- Sector General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Industrial Activities (MSGP) addresses stormwater runoff from certain industrial activities. This permit requires facilities to develop Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs) and report the results of industry-specific monitoring to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) on an annual basis.
• A federal regulation, commonly known as Stormwater Phase II, requires permits for stormwater discharges from Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) in urbanized areas. Permittees are required to develop Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) and submit annual reports to the Department.
• Construction activities disturbing one or more acres of soil must be authorized under the General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities. Permittees are required to develop a SWPPP to prevent discharges of construction-related pollutants to surface waters.

Public Involvement

The following information can be found on the NYSDEC Public Involvement web pages:

• Dates of upcoming public meetings, agendas, background information and links to related information.
• Draft permits are made available for public viewing and comment.
• Responsiveness summaries are posted as the public comments are addressed.

CLICK HERE: Cornell Cooperative Extension Stormwater Consortium & Water Quality Education Web Link

Please click the links below to view each report.