Municipal Resources

For over 15 years, the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy has aided municipalities of the watershed in meeting the educational requirements of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit.

What is Ms4?

The MS4 program is mandated under the Clean Water Act and administered by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The goal of this program is to reduce the amount of pollution being discharged into waterbodies from separate storm sewer systems (MS4s).

An MS4 is a collection of structures, like a retention basin, roadside inlet or underground pipe, that are designed to collect and transport polluted stormwater and discharge it, untreated, into local waterways. MS4s are owned or operated by a city, town or other public entity and are not connected to the sanitary sewer system or waste water treatment plant.

Through this program, local municipalities must obtain a permit to legally discharge stormwater into local streams and creeks. In order to meet the terms of this permit, they need to create a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) that is designed to reduce the amount of pollution entering local waterbodies.

Every SWMP must address the same 6 focus areas, also called Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) that are considered essential for successfully reducing stormwater pollution:

• Public Education and Outreach

• Public Participation and Involvement

• Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination

• Construction Site Runoff Control

• Post-Construction Runoff Control

• Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations

Our MS4 Program

• The Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy offers annual membership opportunities to municipalities within the watershed to help them meet the requirements of the MS4 permit.

• Through this membership, municipalities receive various benefits designed to help them address the minimum control measures and reduce stormwater pollution within their township or borough. MS4 program benefits are outlined below.

• If you are interested in more information or are looking to enroll in this annual program, please email our Director of Conservation, Jessie Kemper.

2025 Membership Benefits:

Benefactor: $1000

Benefactors are eligible for the following membership benefits:

1. Two Free Tickets to the Perkiomen Stormwater Symposium. Join the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy and our regional partners to dive deeper into the world of stormwater! Discover the different methods local organizations are using to tackle stormwater issues. This training is also designed to be a one-stop-shop for municipal staff, covering all six MCMs! Municipalities will walk away with educational materials and volunteer opportunities for their residents.

2. Educational Articles. You will be given access to educational articles, pamphlets or handouts created by PWC to educate residents about stormwater pollution issues.

3. Stormwater Reduction Statistics Package. This informational package will show which PWC events your municipality and/or residents participated in and provide you with statistics from those events that can be used in your MS4 reports.  Statistics could include the number of volunteers involved/volunteer hours, amount of trash removed from a site within your municipality, number of trees planted along riparian areas, amounts of invasive species removed from waterways, etc.

4. Municipal MS4 Grant Program. You will have the opportunity to submit a grant application to install a stormwater BMP within your municipality.  The grant will be submitted to PWC who will review the applications and carry out the selected project(s). Learn more and submit an application here.

5. Community Engagement Workshop. Your residents will have the opportunity to participate in an educational workshop hosted by PWC at a municipal location of your choosing. Possible workshop topics include: rain barrels, rain gardens, converting lawn to native gardens, native plants, and stormwater management. Municipalities will be responsible for scheduling workshops and PWC will provide materials if necessary.
   

Patron: $500

Patrons are eligible for the following membership benefits:

1. Educational Articles. You will be given access to educational articles, pamphlets or handouts created by PWC to educate residents about stormwater pollution issues.

2. Stormwater Reduction Statistics Package. This informational package will show which PWC events your municipality and/or residents participated in and provide you with statistics from those events that can be used in your MS4 reports. Statistics could include the number of volunteers involved/volunteer hours, amount of trash removed from a site within your municipality, number of trees planted along riparian areas, amounts of invasive species removed from waterways, etc.
   

Promoter Level: $250

Promoters are eligible for the following membership benefits:

1. Educational Articles. You will be given access to educational articles, pamphlets, or handouts created by PWC to educate residents about stormwater pollution issues.

2025 Municipal Members with MS4 benefits:

East Greenville Borough
Green Lane Borough
Hilltown Township
Lansdale Borough
Lower Pottsgrove Township
New Hanover Township
Red Hill Borough
Schwenksville Borough
Souderton Borough
Towamencin Township
Upper Gwynedd Township
Upper Milford Township
Upper Providence Township
West Norriton Township
West Rockhill Township