PUBLIC WORKS

The Borough is not responsible for plowing the streets from curb to curb or for cleaning the space around your mailbox or driveway. Residents should park their vehicles off of the street to prevent your vehicle from being plowed in; providing the plow driver the space required to clean the roadway.  The plow makes one pass to open the street and returns later to clear the driving lanes.  Please do not clear your driveway until after the plow truck has finished.

When a snow emergency is declared promptly remove your vehicle from the snow emergency routes.  If your vehicle is parked on a Borough Street that is not a Snow Emergency Route and you have space to move the car off the street, please do so.  Any vehicle removed from the streets makes plowing easier and safer for the plow drivers.

As a reminder, Perkiomen Avenue, St. Lawrence Avenue and Oley Turnpike Road are state roads and will not be plowed by the Borough.  Contact PennDOT Berks County Maintenance @ 610-929-0766 with any issues concerning the State Roadways.   

If you see an unsafe condition on Borough roads that needs attention please call Derrek Rhoads at 484-577-9981 or contact the Borough office at 610-779-1430.  DO NOT CALL TO SAY YOUR STREET HAS NOT BEEN PLOWED, HE WILL GET TO ALL THE STREETS, PLEASE BE PATIENT. Please note that if a snow emergency is declared, your cooperation is required in order to properly clear the roadways.

All residents are reminded that by state law and Borough Ordinance that your sidewalk must be cleared within 24 hours after the snow has stopped.  Please be aware that children walk to and from bus stops and if your sidewalk is not cleared that children may be forced to walk in the street which can be extremely dangerous especially along St. Lawrence Avenue. 

DO NOT THROW, SNOW BLOW OR PLOW SNOW ONTO OR ACROSS ANY PUBLIC STREET IN THE BOROUGH.  IT IS A VIOLATION OF LAW AND YOU WILL BE TICKETED BY THE POLICE.  

YOU MUST REMOVE YOUR VEHICLE IN A DECLARED EMERGENCY OR IT WILL BE TOWED!   IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK FOR EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS VIA CODE RED, WFMZ AND THE BOROUGH WEBSITE.

The following Roads or portions of Roads are Snow Emergency Routes:

• St Lawrence Ave - Entire Length of the Borough on Both Sides
• Oley Turnpike Rd - Entire Length of the Borough on Both Sides
• Adams Street: Both Sides for its Entire Length
• Jacksonwald Ave: From Chestnut St to Ganster St - Even Number (South) Side
• Jacksonwald Ave: Around The Mall
• Ganster St: Both Sides
• Stoner Ave: From Adams St To Chestnut St:  Odd Number (North) Side
• Elm St: Even Number (West) Side for its Entire Length
• Patton St: Walnut St to Brown St Both Sides
• Patton St: Brown St to Elm St: Even Number (South) Side
• Lynn Ct: Entire Length Both Sides and Circle
• Orchard Ct:  Entire Length Both Sides and Circle
• Penn’s Ct:  Entire Length Both Sides and Circle
• Poplar Dr: Intersection of Teak Dr to the cul-de-sac: Both Sides and Circle 

Stormwater runoff is generated from rain and snowmelt events that flow over land or impervious surfaces, such as paved streets, parking lots and building rooftops, and does not soak into the ground.  The runoff picks up pollutants like, trash, chemicals, oils, and dirt/sediment that can harm our rivers, streams, lakes and coastal waters.  To protect these resources, communities, construction companies, industries and others, use stormwater controls, known as best management practices (BMPs).  These BMPs filter out pollutants and/or prevent pollution by controlling it at its source.  The program regulating these sources is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System  through permitting.

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), created as a result of the 1972 Clean Water Act, addresses water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the United States.  The NPDES permit program authorized state governments to act on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to perform permitting, administrative and enforcement aspects of the program.  

The Borough's collection system is designated as a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) by the EPA.

What is a “Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)”?

     An MS4 is a conveyance or system of conveyances that is:

          a. Owned by a state, city, town, village, or other public entity that discharges to waters of the

               Commonwealth;

          b. Designed or used to collect or convey stormwater (including storm drains, pipes, ditches, etc.);

          c. Not a combined sewer; and

          d. Not part of a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (sewage treatment plant). 

Compliance with the NPDES permit requires the Borough to comply with 6 minimum control measures (MCM). 

Stormwater runoff is generated from many different land surfaces and is impacted by the behaviors and activities of individuals, households, and the public. These common individual behaviors have the potential to generate stormwater pollution including:

• littering,
• disposing of trash and recyclables,
• disposing of pet-waste,
• applying lawn-chemicals,
• washing cars,
• changing motor-oil, and
• disposing leftover paint and household chemicals.

Convincing others to change their behaviors and properly dispose of materials can control such pollution. It is important that the public be aware of the significance of their behavior and that their actions can either pollute or protect our waterways.

Phase II MS4s are required to educate their community on the pollution potential of common activities, and increase awareness of the direct links between land activities, rainfall-runoff, storm drains, and their local water resources. The education programs must include clear guidance on steps and specific actions to be taken to reduce stormwater pollution-potential.

The benefits of public education efforts cannot be understated, especially on topics such as "nonpoint source" or "stormwater" pollution.

Encouraging community participation, forming partnerships, and combining efforts of other groups in the community will encourage everyone to work towards the same stormwater goals. Public involvement builds on community capital­—the wealth of interested citizens and groups—to help spread the message to:

·                     prevent stormwater pollution,

·                     undertake group activities that highlight storm drain pollution, and

·                     contribute volunteer community actions to restore and protect local water resources.

Phase II MS4s are required to follow all state, tribal, and local public notice requirements when implementing their stormwater program. Public involvement also includes creating opportunities for direct action, educational, and volunteer programs such as tree planting days, volunteer monitoring programs, storm drain marking, or stream clean-up programs.

 In general, illicit discharges include any discharge into a storm drain system that is not entirely composed of stormwater. The exceptions include water from firefighting activities and discharges from facilities already under an NPDES permit. Illicit discharges are a problem because, unlike wastewater, which flows to a treatment plant, stormwater generally flows to waterways without any additional treatment. Illicit discharges often contain pathogens, nutrients, surfactants, and various toxic pollutants.

Phase II MS4s are required to develop a program to detect and eliminate these illicit discharges. This primarily includes developing:

·                     a storm sewer system map,

·                     an ordinance prohibiting illicit discharges,

·                     a plan to detect and address these illicit discharges, and

·                     an education program on the hazards associated with illicit discharges.

An effective illicit discharge program needs to be both reactive and proactive. The program is reactive in addressing spills and other illicit discharges to the storm drain system that are found. The program must also be proactive in preventing and eliminating illicit discharges through education, training, and enforcement. 

 Uncontrolled stormwater runoff from construction sites can significantly impact rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Sediment in waterbodies from construction sites can reduce the amount of sunlight reaching aquatic plants, clog fish gills, smother aquatic habitat and spawning areas, and impede navigation.

Phase II municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) are required to develop a program to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff to the MS4 for construction sites disturbing one or more acres. This primarily includes developing:

·                     An ordinance,

·                     Requirements to implement erosion and sediment control best managment practices (BMPs),

·                     Requirements to control other waste at the construction site,

·                     Procedures for reviewing construction site plans,

·                     Procedures to receive and consider information submitted by the public, and

·                     Procedures for inspections and enforcement of stormwater requirements at construction sites.

In addition to the stormwater requirements that Phase II MS4s place on construction sites, construction operators may also need to apply for NPDES permit coverage, generally if their project disturbs more than 1 acre and discharges to a waterbody. 

 As areas are developed, the amount of paved surfaces increase leading to an increase in stormwater volume and pollutants, which can harm lakes, rivers, streams, and coastal areas.

The best way to mitigate stormwater impacts from new development is to use practices that treat, store, and infiltrate runoff onsite before it can affect water bodies downstream. Innovative site designs that reduce paved surfaces, or imperviousness, and other green infrastructure practices are excellent ways to reduce flows and improve water quality.

Phase II MS4s are required to address post-construction stormwater runoff from new development and redevelopments that disturb one or more acres. This primarily includes developing:

·                     strategies to implement a combination of structural and non-structural BMPs,

·                     an ordinance to address post-construction runoff, and

·                     a program to ensure adequate long-term operation and maintenance of BMPs. 

Preventing pollutants from entering a waterway is less expensive than restoring a waterway after it’s been polluted. Therefore, programs should first focus on preventing pollution before it happens. BMPs under each of the minimum measures, but especially under this pollution prevention category, focus on preventing pollutants from contacting stormwater.

Municipal activities such as winter road maintenance, minor road repairs, and other infrastructure work, automobile fleet maintenance, landscaping and park maintenance, and building maintenance can release pollutants into MS4s that ultimately discharge to nearby waterbodies. Municipal facilities can also be sources of stormwater pollutants if BMPs are not in place to contain spills, manage trash, and handle non-stormwater discharges. 

Sweeping parking lots and streets and cleaning storm drains can prevent pollutants from entering nearby waterways.

Phase II MS4s must train their staff to prevent and reduce stormwater pollution from activities like maintaining MS4 infrastructure and performing daily municipal activities, such as park and open space maintenance, fleet and building maintenance, and new construction and land disturbances. This primarily includes:

·                     Developing inspection and maintenance procedures and schedules for stormwater BMPs

·                     Implementing BMPs to treat pollutants from transportation infrastructure, maintenance areas, storage                           yards, sand and salt storage areas, and waste transfer stations

·                     Establishing procedures for properly disposing of pollutants removed from the MS4

·                     Identifying ways to incorporate water quality controls into new and existing flood management projects

·                     Developing a training program for all municipal staff involved in activities that could discharge pollutants                       to the MS4

·                     Developing standard operating procedures that incorporate stormwater BMPs for common municipal                             activities