Stormwater Management & Flood Control

Stormwater drainStormwater management is an important part of today's world. It involves the control of water that runs off the land from weather events. The volume, or amount of runoff and its rate of runoff, substantially increases as land development occurs. Construction of impervious surfaces, such as buildings and parking lots, and the installation of storm sewer pipes which efficiently collect and discharge runoff, prevent natural infiltration of rainfall into the soil.

Richland Township has been issued a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit by the Pennsylvania DEP. The permit is renewed every 5 years and establishes the responsibilities and expectations of the Township, land owners, and residents. In this permit, there are six Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) the Township must meet:

  • Public Education and Outreach - Educate and outreach to inform citizens about the impacts that stormwater runoff has on water quality.
  • Public Participation/Involvement - Provide opportunities for citizens to participate in the stormwater management program or other programs which improve
  • Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination - Develop and implement a plan to detect and eliminate non-stormwater discharges into the stormwater system.
  • Construction Site Runoff Control - Develop, implement and enforce an erosion and sediment control program for construction site activities that disturb 1 acre or greater.
  • Post-Construction Runoff Control - Develop, implement, and enforce a program that addresses post-construction stormwater runoff from new development or redevelopment sites.
  • Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping - Develop and implement a program that reduces or prevents pollutant runoff from municipal operations.

Why Is Stormwater Management So Important? 

Stormwater becomes a problem when it picks up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants before it flows into waterways, when it causes flooding, or when it causes erosion of stream banks. In Richland, the main source of drinking water is its local waterways, and untreated or uncontrolled stormwater runoff is the primary cause of pollution/impairment to local waterways. MS4s, or Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems, are complex drainage systems that include streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ponds, ditches, channels, and pipes owned by a state, county, city, town, township, borough, or other public entity.

For questions regarding stormwater, please call George Anderson at 724-443-5921 or email ganderson@richland.pa.us.

2018 to 2023 Pollutant Reduction Plan (PRP)

Final PRP Plan - 8-16-17 (PDF)

Status Reports

2019-2020 MS4 Report (PDF)

Be Stormwater Smart Pa!