Overview

As authorized by the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated that certain communities such as Billerica must file for a permit under the Phase II National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. This permit controls water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into water systems. As part of this permit, Billerica is required to create a Stormwater Management Plan that addresses public education & outreach, public involvement & participation, illicit discharge detection & elimination, construction site stormwater runoff control, post construction stormwater runoff control, and good housekeeping in municipal operations.

What is Stormwater and why does it matter?

Stormwater is the runoff water from rain and snowmelt and has been identified by the EPA as the number one contributor to overland pollution of our streams, ponds, wetlands, lakes, rivers and the ocean. Stormwater pollutants include litter, sand, bacteria, and chemicals such as fertilizer and herbicides from lawns and oil and gas from cars.

Runoff from paved or impervious surfaces, such as roads, parking lots, driveways and rooftops, can contribute large amounts of polluted stormwater. To prevent flooding, parking lots and streets are often lined with storm drains to quickly move stormwater off the pavement. Because storm drains have underground pipes that channel the stormwater directly to a nearby water body, whatever flows down a storm drain comes out in the closest wetland, stream, or pond, usually with little or no treatment.

Stormwater pollution is one of the most difficult sources of water pollution to control. Because stormwater pollution is caused by the daily activities of people everywhere, public awareness of the steps citizens can take to prevent stormwater pollution will help to protect our water resources. By putting fewer pollutants on the land, stormwater will be cleaner as it flows into our lakes, rivers and the ocean.

Clean water is necessary for drinking, swimming, fishing, boating, and for protecting wildlife. It is far less costly to prevent pollution to waterways than it is to clean them up after the fact. Keeping stormwater clean not only benefits our neighborhood and community, it benefits the entire network of water bodies and land that make up our watershed.

Support community efforts to keep stormwater clean.

Cleaning up pollutants on the land and taking good care of storm drains results in cleaner stormwater, and cleaner stormwater means cleaner water for drinking, swimming, fishing, boating and wildlife.

For any questions or comments about the Town of Billerica's Stormwater Management Program, please contact Diana MacLeod at 978-671-0955 or click here to contact us by email.  For questions regarding the new stormwater by-laws, please contact Richard Berube, Board of Health Director, at 978-671-0931.