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Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program
The residents of the City of Hagerstown and Washington County are fortunate to have a wide variety of natural features available for passive and active recreation and enjoyment. Among the most important of these features are the many streams, creeks, ponds, and rivers in our area. These water resources are the source of our drinking water, support plant and wildlife ecosystems, provide water for agricultural irrigation, and provide fishing and water sport opportunities.
Unfortunately, the health of these water resources is being threatened on a number of fronts. One of the biggest threats is polluted stormwater runoff that enters our streams and creeks. With the increasing pace of development in and around Hagerstown, and as open farmland and undisturbed areas are converted into housing developments, shopping centers, and other urban uses, more and more impervious surfaces are created. Rainfall that used to be absorbed into the ground now runs off of pavement, roofs, etc. This additional runoff picks up pollutants as it passes through drainage channels and storm drainage piping systems, and these pollutants are transported into streams and rivers downstream. The damage caused by these pollutants is not limited to Hagerstown and Washington County; the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay are impacted by the polluted runoff generated in Hagerstown.
There are many different types of pollutants that are commonly found in stormwater runoff, including:
- Oil, grease, and antifreeze from automobiles and other machinery
- Fertilizer and pesticides from lawns, gardens, athletic fields, and agricultural fields
- Sediment from construction sites, mining operations, and farm fields
- Improperly disposed of household chemicals (detergents, cleaners, solvents)
Because the sources of these pollutants are distributed throughout the Hagerstown
area, the contaminants are known as "Non-Point Source" pollution. Unlike concentrated
discharges from factories or wastewater treatment plants that can be linked
to a particular responsible party, the reduction or elimination of non-point
source pollutants is largely the responsibility of the residents of Hagerstown.
The City of Hagerstown, in compliance with requirements from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is implementing a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program. This program requires the City to implement Six Measures to improve the quality of stormwater runoff. The success of this important program will rely on the support and participation of the residents of Hagerstown. Working together, our goal is to protect the environment, improve the quality of our streams and waterways, and preserve these vital resources for future generations of residents.
Six Measures
The City's stormwater pollution prevention program must address each of the
six categories below:
Public Education
The purpose of this measure is to provide information to the general public on stormwater runoff, techniques to reduce or prevent pollution, and to make the public aware of other sources of information on the NPDES program. The City plans to use this webpage and TV Channel 6 to disseminate this information to the public.
Public Involvement
The purpose of this measure is to actively involve the public in the City's
efforts to reduce stormwater runoff pollution. The City is planning annual
public events that will provide residents a hands-on opportunity to reduce
stormwater runoff pollution. Please check back to this page for information
on upcoming public events in the City of Hagerstown.
Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination
The purpose of this measure is to detect, identify, and eliminate illicit discharges
of pollutants into the City's storm drainage system. Illicit discharges can result from illegal sanitary sewer connections to the storm drains, illegal dumping of trash, oil, or chemicals into the system, or other sources. The first step in the City's
plan is to complete a computerized map of the existing storm drainage system
in the City. This is a huge undertaking, given that many parts of the drainage
system are more than 75 years old, and that there is limited information available
on pipes and drains in certain parts of the system. The City will also be monitoring
discharges into the storm drainage system at various points throughout the
City, and will attempt to trace any pollutant discharges back to their source.
Construction Site Runoff Control
Sediment and debris from disturbed earth at construction sites can be a major contributor to stormwater pollution. The City requires the implementation of an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan for any earthmoving activities that disturb more than 5,000 square feet of land. These plans must be in compliance with the 1994 Maryland Standards for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control. The Washington County Conservation District reviews and approves these plans, and the Maryland Department of the Environment inspects construction sites to ensure compliance with the approved plans.
Post-Construction Runoff Control
The City Code requires any new development to comply with the City's Stormwater
Management Ordinance. That ordinance requires developers to install stormwater
management facilities that meet the requirements of the 2000 Maryland Stormwater
Design Manual. These regulations require the installation of facilities that
provide qualitative and quantitative control of stormwater discharged from
new developments. The City monitors and inspects these facilities on a rotating,
three year basis to ensure that they are being properly maintained.
Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping
The purpose of this measure is to encourage and ensure that municipalities are implementing practices at their own government facilities to limit stormwater pollution. These practices can include planting vegetative buffer strips to filter runoff before it runs off of the site, implementing spill prevention and control procedures to limit accidental discharges of pollutants, and training and education programs for City staff to make them more aware of stormwater pollution sources. The City is currently preparing a map of all city-owned properties, and is analyzing stormwater runoff issues at some of the major City installations in order to develop plans for pollutant reduction projects.
The links below provide additional information on stormwater runoff, watershed management, and the NPDES program:
Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov
Maryland Department of the Environment
www.mde.state.md.us
NPDES Topics (EPA)
http://cfpub1.epa.gov/npdes/pareas.cfm
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
www.alliancechesbay.org
Center for Watershed Protection
www.cwp.org
You may also contact the City's Engineering Department at (301) 739-8577 ext. 125 for additional information on the City's
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program.
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