By practicing healthy household habits, homeowners can keep common pollutants like pesticides, pet waste, grass clippings, and automotive fluids off the ground and out of stormwater. For more information, please see the “Homeowners Guide to Stormwater” located in our helpful links section of this page and here.
Illicit Discharges
An illicit discharge is defined as any unauthorized discharge other than clean stormwater released into the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). Illicit connections may be intentional or may be the result of connections made years ago when water quality issues were not a concern.
The types of illicit discharges vary widely with some examples being:
• Waste oil, antifreeze, paint, trash or other household chemicals
· Lawn debris such as grass and tree clippings swept or hosed into a storm drain or onto a street
• Car wash, laundry, and industrial wastewaters
• Pool water discharge (chlorinated and dechlorinated)
• Spills on roadways and other accidents
• Failing septic systems and illegal dumping practices
• Improper disposal of sewage from recreational practices such as boating or camping
· Pesticides and fertilizer on hard surfaces – sweep onto your lawn to avoid direct runoff into storm drain
Common indicators of illicit discharges include abnormal odors, strange colors, or oil sheen present around or inside storm inlets or pipes. Keeping harmful substances out of our water benefits everyone; environmentally and economically.
Please report any illicit discharges or illegal dumping to West Manheim Township at 717-632-0320 or general@westmanheimtwp.com.