The township’s Board of Supervisors finds the following.
(A) Inadequate management of accelerated stormwater runoff resulting from development and redevelopment throughout a watershed increases runoff volumes, flows and velocities contributes to erosion and sedimentation; overtaxes the carrying capacity of existing streams and storm sewers; greatly increases the cost of public facilities to carry and control stormwater; undermines floodplain management and flood reduction efforts in upstream and downstream communities; reduces groundwater recharge; threatens public health and safety; and increases nonpoint source pollution of water resources.
(B) Inadequate planning and management of stormwater runoff resulting from land development and redevelopment throughout a watershed can also harm surface water resources by changing the natural hydrologic patterns; accelerating stream flows (which increase scour and erosion of streambeds and stream-banks thereby elevating sedimentation); destroying aquatic habitat; and elevating aquatic pollutant concentrations and loadings such as sediments, nutrients, heavy metals and pathogens. Groundwater resources are also impacted through loss of recharge.
(C) Through project design impacts from stormwater runoff can be minimized to maintain the natural hydrologic regime and sustain high water quality, groundwater recharge, stream base flow and aquatic ecosystems. The most cost effective and environmentally advantageous way to manage stormwater runoff is through nonstructural project design, minimizing impervious surfaces and sprawl, avoiding sensitive areas (e.g., stream buffers, floodplains, steep slopes and the like) and designing to topography and soils to maintain the natural hydrologic regime.
(D) These impacts happen mainly through a decrease in natural infiltration of stormwater.
(E) A comprehensive program of stormwater management (SWM), including reasonable regulation of development and activities causing accelerated runoff, is fundamental to the public health, safety and welfare and critical for the protection of people of the commonwealth and the township, their respective resources and the environment.
(F) Stormwater is an important water resource that provides groundwater recharge for water supplies and supports the base flow of streams.
(G) The use of green infrastructure and low impact development (LID) is intended to address the root cause of water quality impairment by using systems and practices which use or mimic natural processes to infiltrate and recharge, evapotranspire and/or harvest and use precipitation near where it falls to earth. Green infrastructure practices and LID contribute to the restoration or maintenance of pre-development hydrology.
(H) Federal and state regulations require certain municipalities such as the township to implement a program of stormwater controls. These municipalities are required to obtain a federal permit for stormwater discharges from their separate storm sewer systems under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
(I) Public education on the control of pollution from stormwater is an essential component in successfully addressing stormwater.
(J) Non-stormwater discharges to municipal separate storm sewer systems can contribute to pollution of waters of the commonwealth by the township.
(Ord. 239, passed 10-14-2020)