Stormwater
The second most common waste water system is the municipal sewer system that captures and processes both solid and liquid sewer waste. Most houses built in the township after 1980 are connected to this system. New Garden utilizes three sewer systems, indicated by a green star in the map. The solids are collected, processed and deposited in a landfill and the liquid waste is treated then sprayed onto open space land. Municipal sewer systems effectively prevents polluted water from entering streams.
MS4: The third system is the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems, or “MS4”. It is as big as the township itself because it handles stormwater. Its goal is to reduce and prevent ground pollutants carried by rain water from entering the streams of New Garden’s two watersheds, the Red Clay and White Clay, that drain into the Christina River and eventually the Delaware Bay. Its goal is to improve the nation's waterways starting from the smallest streams to the largest rivers, lakes and bays.
Stormwater enters a stream in two ways: point sources and nonpoint sources. Point source is any stormwater exiting a pipe, ditch or culvert. These sources, known as the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) are annually reviewed and “permitted”. New Garden Township receives it NPDES permit from Pennsylcania‘s Department of Environmental Protection.
Nonpoint stormwater pollution is more challeging to control. It is caused by the daily activities of people everywhere. Whenever rainwater and snowmelt drain off from streets, lawns, farms, and construction and industrial sites it picks up fertilizers, dirt, pesticides, oil and grease, and many other pollutants on its way to creeks, ponds, and streams that drain into New Garden‘s two watersheds. Nonpoint stormwater runoff is most common cause of water pollution in the the township‘s watersheds. The best control for nonpoint source is educating the Township‘s residents and businesses about source of stormwater pollution.
TMDLs: The amount of pollutants entering the township‘s stormwater system (MS4), and therefore its streams, has a threshold determined by its Total Maximum Daily Load or “TMDL”. New Garden Township annually provides reports to the EPA on its efforts and progress to minimize stormwater pollutants (TMDLs) for all its waterways. Essentially these reports document and advocate New Garden‘s efforts to incorporate “Best Managment Practice” or “BMP” by all of its residents, businesses, infrastructure, buildings, roads, agriculture and everything else that can impact stormwater runoff into streams. To assist the Township’s efforts to monitor and effect its clean water the EPA has six Minimum Control Measures “MCM” to be followed to a “maximum extent possible” or “MEP”. When implemented in concert, they are expected to result in significant reductions of pollutants discharged into receiving waterbodies (streams, wetlands, rivers..). The six minimum control measures are:
Public Participation: The Clean water Act provides for any individual or organization impacted by the development and implementation of the TMDLs to participate in the procedures. The public often contributes useful information about an impaired waterbody and offers insight about their community that might make pollution reduction strategy’s successful.