(12/18) At its December 9 meeting, Thurmont Town Council approved a stormwater ordinance. The ordinance outlines components including right of entry for Municipal stormwater activities, noncompliance enforcement, illicit discharge detection, and elimination construction and post construction controls, he said.
The town did not have a previous stormwater ordinance and this ordinance will have to be reviewed for adoption in 2022.
The Town of Thurmont is categorized as an Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) designated by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) under the Clean Water Act and associated regulations.
Thurmont holds a storm water permit and operators under this permit must implement and enforce management programs for controlling all stormwater discharges. The town must also effectively prohibit stormwater discharge pollutants into the MS4 to comply with Maryland’s receiving water quality standards.
Thurmont’s stormwater MS4 program is part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) national pollutant discharge elimination system general permit covers small municipal separate storm sewer systems in certain portions of the state of Maryland.
In presenting the town’s quarterly MS4 status update, Andrew Tuleya of ARRO Consulting, said the public is reminded to be mindful of products used on property including salt and fertilizer and use them sparingly, noting that in the winter, "A cup of salt can effectively treat a 20-foot driveway," he said.
Property owners are responsible for their own yard waste and pool draining is also a common occurrence related to stormwater. "All that stuff does accumulate over time and does have an impact on the stormwater system," he said
Illicit discharge can include household cleaners, lawn products and trash, and animal waste, and reports of illicit discharge can be made by calling the town office, he said.
The town’s Watershed Implementation Permit (WIP) specifies the nutrient and sediment load reductions required to address the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load by 2025.
The five-year permit term requires permittees to develop planning strategies and work toward water quality restoration planning strategies. Under the permit, Thurmont has a 69.2 impervious acre restoration requirement by 2025 and must update or create a new stormwater best management practice to account for treatment of 69 acres. There are currently about two acres from tree planting efforts. In addition, ARRO is currently providing survey and design services to refit five town storm water management facilities.
The approved ordinance will be submitted for MDE approval for the 2022 Stormwater Permit Cycle.
Questions or comments regarding stormwater management can be addressed to the town office at 301-271-2155 or at the town website at www.thurmont.com.
