Stormwater: Everything You Never Thought You Wanted To Know 

March 2004

When it rains, do you wonder where all the water goes? If you have a car drip oil, do you wonder how the oil disappears? If your neighbor’s septic system fails, are you concerned about where the leachate disperses? If you spill gasoline, are you concerned that Mbte can disperse through the ground miles away from the spill site?

The Federal Water Quality Act of 1987 recognized that runoff from urban areas pollutes surface waters and required the EPA to address storm water discharges with a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. Stormwater is the major source of non-point pollution.

Phase II regulates “small MS-4” (municipal separate storm sewer system) discharges in urbanized areas located in 45 communities in New Hampshire—Atkinson is one of the 45. Atkinson successfully filed its Notice of Intent application for coverage under a general NPDES permit.

Why is stormwater non-point pollution?—Because there is no specific source of the pollution. Stormwater can carry silt, sand, oil, gas, leachate, fertilizer, pesticide from one area to another. The runoff can stay in the watershed or it may be carried out of the watershed.

The source of pollution may be from one source or along the way of the runoff.

In Atkinson, the Spickett River and Little River carry runoff from the watershed. These rivers need to be protected. Big Island Pond and all the wetlands detain runoff within the watershed and they need to be protected.

How to protect these natural resources? By managing the sources and causes of pollution and by managing our stormwater system—proper location and maintenance of swales, drainage ditches, retention ponds, erosion controls, construction of new roads and subdivisions, public outreach and education.

If you are interested in helping with the Town’s stormwater management, volunteers are needed for participation in the Stormwater MS-4 Committee.

Additional information:

http://www.epa.gov/region01/topics/water/stormwater.html

http://www.des.state.nh.us/StormWater/

June 2003    

The Federal Water Quality Act of 1987 recognized that runoff from urban areas pollutes surface waters and required the EPA to address storm water discharges with a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit.

Phase II regulates “small MS-4” (municipal separate storm sewer system) discharges in urbanized areas located in 45 communities in New Hampshire—Atkinson is one of the 45. Atkinson filed its Notice of Intent application for coverage under a general NPDES permit.

As part of the application, Atkinson must develop a storm water management program that controls pollutants from all of the MS4 discharge points to the “Maximum Extent Practicable”. The Permit requires the program include: 1) public education and outreach on storm water impacts; 2) public involvement/participation during program development; 3) illicit discharge detection and elimination; 4) construction site storm water runoff control; 5) post-construction storm water management in new development and redevelopment; and 6) pollution prevention/good housekeeping for municipal operations.

Volunteers with diverse backgrounds are need to form the Committee. Any resident who is interested in joining the Committee should contact the Town Administrator at 362-5266.