STORMWATER
Stormwater In New England
FINDING SOLUTIONS
we're doing
in Massachusetts
U.S. EPA | STORMWATER OUTREACH AT EPA NEW ENGLAND
STO R M WATE R is a leading cause of poor water quality. Rain or
mefted snow runs down driveways., sidewalks and streets carrying oil, dirt
and other pollutants into nearby waterways. Polluted runoff, which can
cause erosion end flooding, runs into waterways and degrades plants, fish,
shellfish and other wildlife. In water osed /or recreation, the runoff can
lead to illness, and people who art contaminated fis/i can abo become side.
Untreated stormwater can also concern/note drinking water sources.
INTRO:
Permits to discharge stormwater in Massachusetts are issued by EPA New England through the National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) pro-am, EPA issues stwmrwater general permits for some municipal sewer
systems, construction sites disturbing more than an ae^e, and fbf may industrial sites. Each permitted municpal
sewer system must eitabish & storrrswatef management program, IP addition to perrrtt requirements, standards for
stormwater discharges are included in several state taws,
TO MANAGE STORHWATER
IN MASSACHUSETTS WE ARE:
Demonstrating low imput development (LID) — The
Ipswich River Watershed is the location of four LJD
and Five water conservation projects that received
a $1 million EPA grant The projects included a green
roof on Whipple Riverview Place and on an affordable
apartment building In Ipswich for seniors. Rain gardens
and grass swales were installed at Partridgeberry Place
in Ipswich, and an LID subdivision development that
features 20 homes clustered on 10 acres with 38 acres
of undisturbed land. The parking lot at Silver Lake town
beach in Wilmington was rebuilt to show the effective-
ness of using four types of porous pavement as well as
planted areas that filter stormwater. Stormwater from a
neighborhood near Sitvsr Lake was treated using a series
of rain gardens and porous pavers.*
fining contractor! and developer* for discharges — A
Massachusetts developer was fined $135,000 by EPA
New England for illegal stormwaier discharges from a
construction site. This developer did not use erosion and
sediment controls and as a result, stdrmwater with high
levels of sediment and residues of construction material
flawed hto a border ng water-body,
Funding norrnwstrr contrail through utilities — The
tity of C"tkope« estatibhed the first stormwater utiity
in Massachusetts in 1998, Siice then other communities
in :he state, ird jding Newton and Reading, have created
stormwater utilities. Newton is using stormwater utility
•funds to upgrade its infrastructure, help homeowners
with flooding, carry out a water monitoring and testing
program, and protect natural resources. Reading hired
two professionals to maintain streams, purchase equip-
ment, complete mapping, sample outfalls, and oversee il-
licit detection and removal. The city is also making capital
improvements.*
Restoring bodies of water — I he town of Plymouth has
been working to restore Plymouth Harbor and the rivers
that drain into this area. Many of the roads in Plymouth
are old and carry stormwater into the harbor with little
or no treatment. Using a mix of local, state and federal
funds, the town is finding ways to fix its stormwater prob-
lems. The town has carried out several projects induding
the construction of rain gardens in both the waterfront
park and riverfront parks to provide stormwater treat-
ment near Plymouth Harbor.*
Using ttormwtttr to meet water needs — The Chil-
dren's Museum in Boston is captunng stormwster that
wodd have otnerwise run off into the nearby hort Paint
Channel and redaim ng that water far toi ets ard irriga-
tion, The museum built a green roof on a new add tion
and also installed djal flush toieU and waterless urinals,
tt B using recycled local Duilding materials that retease
•fewer poiutants into the air*
* These projects received EPA. funds or support
KEY CONTACTS:
FREDERICK CtVIAN
,VassD£P Surr.HKKv Cco.f", -?.-••
(617) 292-5821
frederick.civian@state.ma.us
HARTJO FEUERBACH
EPA New England
Watershed & Nonpoint
Source Unit
(617) 918-1578
feuerbach.maryjo@epa.gov
GENERAL INFO:
SPA NEW ENGLAND
5 Post Office Square
Suite 100
Boston. MA 02109-3912
(617) 918-1111
www.epa.gov/region 1/
EPA TOLL-FREE
CUSTOMER SERVICE
LEARN MORE ATi
www.epa.gov/region I/
United Stitea
Environ mantel Protection
0 printed on 1 00% oeyclad paper, wfln a minimum
EPA-901-F-10-004
November 2010
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