Stormwater Management Program

Town of Boston Stormwater Management Program

 

Under the Phase II Stormwater Regulations, the United States Environmental Protection Agency established a municipal stormwater management program to improve our Nation’s waters by reducing the quantities of pollutants that stormwater picks up and carries into storm sewer systems during a storm event. The Town of Boston has been identified as an owner and operator of a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) and is subject to the Phase II Stormwater Regulations.

The Town of Boston, in partnership with the Western New York Stormwater Coalition (WNYSC), has developed a 2022 MS4 Report Report which is essentially a guidance document to address six minimum control measures that are required under the stormwater regulations. The Stormwater Management Plan includes Best Management Practices for each minimum control measure as well as specific tasks to achieve and maintain compliance.

The six minimum control measures are as follows:

  • Public Education and Outreach on Stormwater Impacts
  • Public Involvement/Participation
  • Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination
  • Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control
  • Post-Construction Stormwater Management
  • Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations

Portions of the work are provided through the collective efforts of the Western New York Stormwater Coalition members. The remaining work is the responsibility of the Town of Boston.  For specific information on the Town of Boston’s Stormwater Management Program, please contact Thomas Murphy 716-941-6113 x111  [email protected].

Our most recent MS4 Report is available for public review and comment.  Please download our Public Comment Form to submit comments on the Annual Report or our Stormwater Management Plan. A draft of our 2022 MS4 Plan can be found HERE.

Stormwater…What is it & Why is it a Problem?

Stormwater is water from rain or melting snow that does not soak into the ground. It flows from rooftops, over paved areas, bare soil, and sloped lawns. As it flows, stormwater runoff collects and transports soil, animal waste, salt, pesticides, fertilizers, oil and grease, debris and other potential pollutants.

  • Rain and snowmelt wash pollutants from streets, construction sites, and land into storm sewers and ditches. Eventually, the storm sewers and ditches empty the polluted stormwater directly into streams and rivers with no treatment. This is known as stormwater pollution.
  • Polluted stormwater runoff can have many adverse effects on plants, fish, animals, and people.
  • Sediment can cloud the water and make it difficult or impossible for aquatic plants to grow. Sediment also can destroy aquatic habitats
  • Excess nutrients can cause algae blooms. When algae die, they sink to the bottom and decompose in a process that removes oxygen from the water. Fish and other aquatic organisms can’t exist in water with low dissolved oxygen levels.
  • Bacteria and other pathogens can wash into swimming areas and create health hazards, often making beach closures necessary.
  • Debris – plastic bags, six-pack rings, bottles, and cigarette butts – washed into waterways can choke, suffocate, or disable aquatic life such as ducks, fish, turtles, and birds.
  • Household wastes such as insecticides, pesticides, paint, solvents, used motor oil, and other auto fluids can poison aquatic life. Land animals and people can become sick or die from eating diseased fish and shellfish or from ingesting polluted water.

If you suspect stormwater pollution is occurring in your neighborhood, please contact Thomas Murphy at 716-941-6113 x111.

Western New York Stormwater Coalition A partnership to protect water quality

A number of communities in Western New York have joined together to develop a stormwater management program to protect our waterways and enhance our quality of life. The goal of the WNYSC is to utilize regional collaboration to identify existing resources and develop programs to reduce the negative impacts of stormwater pollution. The public education and outreach initiatives of the WNYSC strive to enhance public knowledge and awareness of stormwater pollution and provide information to individuals and households to prevent stormwater pollution and protect water quality. To download public education materials or to obtain additional information concerning stormwater pollution prevention, click here.