Township of Upper Gwynedd, PA Article VIII Prohibitions

§ 163-37 Prohibited discharges and connections.

A. Any drain or conveyance, whether on the surface or subsurface, that allows any nonstormwater discharge including sewage, process wastewater, or wash water to enter the separate storm sewer system or otherwise to enter the waters of the commonwealth is prohibited. Any connections to the storm drain system from indoor drains and sinks also are prohibited. Any drain or conveyance connected from a commercial or industrial land use to the separate storm sewer system, which has not been documented in plans, maps or equivalent records and approved by the Township, is prohibited.

B. No person shall allow or cause to allow discharges into surface waters of the commonwealth which are not composed entirely of stormwater, except: 1) as provided in Subsection C below; and 2) discharges allowed under a state or federal permit.

C. The following discharges are authorized unless they are determined to be significant contributors to pollution to the waters of the commonwealth:

(1) Discharges from firefighting activities.

(2) Potable water sources, including waterline flushing.

(3) Irrigation drainage.

(4) Air-conditioning condensate.

(5) Springs.

(6) Water from crawl space pumps.

(7) Pavement washwaters where spills or leaks of toxic or hazardous materials have not occurred (unless all spill material has been removed) and where detergents are not used.

(8) Diverted stream flows.

(9) Flows from riparian habitats and wetlands.

(10) Uncontaminated water from foundations or from footing drains.

(11) Lawn watering.

(12) Dechlorinated swimming pool discharges.

(13) Uncontaminated groundwater.

(14) Water from individual residential car washing.

(15) Routine external building washdown (which does not use detergents or other compounds).

D. In the event that the municipality or DEP determines that any of the discharges identified in Subsection C significantly contribute to pollution of the waters of the commonwealth, the municipality or DEP will notify the responsible person(s) to cease the discharge.

§ 163-38 Roof drains.

A. In Montgomery County, roof drains shall not be connected to streets, sanitary or storm sewers, or roadside ditches, and shall discharge to infiltration areas or vegetative BMPs to the maximum extent practicable, except for already existing developed sites where the on-site stormwater system already is designed and equipped to accomplish stormwater rate, quality and quantity mitigation. The applicant shall, in these cases, submit documentation on the existing stormwater system to the Municipal Engineer, who shall determine if the stormwater system accomplishes comparable stormwater rate, quality and quantity mitigation.

B. In the event that an existing developed site is to be redeveloped, and existing roof drains discharge to an existing stormwater system that is designed and equipped to accomplish stormwater rate, quality and quantity mitigation, those existing roof drains may remain, provided the applicant submits documentation on the existing stormwater system to the Municipal Engineer, who shall determine if the stormwater system accomplishes comparable stormwater rate, quality and quantity mitigation.

§ 163-39 Alteration of BMPs.

A. No person shall modify, remove, fill, landscape or alter any existing stormwater facility or BMP unless it is part of an approved maintenance program, and written approval of the municipality has been obtained.

B. No person shall place any structure, fill, landscaping or vegetation into a stormwater control or BMP or within a drainage easement which would limit or alter the functioning of the stormwater control or BMP without the written approval of the municipality.