Residents and Concerned Citizens

Stormwater is water from rain or melting snow that doesn’t soak into the ground, but runs off into waterways. It flows from rooftops, over paved areas and bare soil, and through sloped lawns. Flowing storm water collects and transports soil, animal wastes, pesticides, fertilizers, oil and grease, debris and other potential pollutants.

The quality of runoff is affected by a variety of factors including the season, local weather, geography and the activities taking place along the path of flow. Concentrated development in urbanized areas substantially increases paved surfaces, such as roadways, driveways, parking lots and sidewalks. Pollutants from concentrated human activities settle and remain on these surfaces until a storm event washes them into a nearby waterbody or storm drain.

Become Part of the Pollution Solution

The success of the Phase II regulatory program depends on voluntary cooperation and compliance from homeowners, local interest groups, municipal governments officials and you. Opportunities to make a difference in local water quality are everywhere. Simple actions such as picking up after your dog, participating in organized stream clean ups, or simply attending a municipal board meeting to learn more about local efforts in your community will make a difference.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (the Department) has expanded its permitting program to include a new federally mandated program to control stormwater runoff and protect waterways. According to the federal law commonly known as Stormwater Phase II, permits are required for stormwater discharges from Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) in urbanized areas and for construction activities disturbing one or more acres. To implement the law, the Department has developed two general permits, one for MS4s in urbanized areas and one for construction activities. The permits are part of the State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES). Operators of regulated MS4s and operators of construction activities are required to obtain permits.

For more information on the NYS SPDES Stormwater program visit the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation web site at http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8468.html.

This program has environmental benefits. New York State has made significant progress toward improving the overall quality of the State's water resources by controlling major point sources of water pollution. Despite this progress, nonpoint sources of water pollution such as contaminated stormwater runoff continue to pose significant water quality threats Statewide. Controlling these nonpoint sources of pollution requires a resource management approach that is dramatically different from the past. The stormwater control program represents just such an approach while building on New York State's successful past efforts.

Chairs on the shore The NYS SPDES Phase II stormwater program is helping to correct these problems by protecting and restoring our valuable water and environmental resources. Education is a key component to the success of this program. Twenty-nine of the 31 regulated cities, towns and villages in the Syracuse Urbanized Area (SUA) are working together to reduce stormwater pollution through education and improved municipal practices.

Cooperating Municipalities

Baldwinsville Village

Camillus Town

Cicero Town

Clay Town

DeWitt Town

East Syracuse Village

Fayetteville Village

Geddes Town

Hastings Town

La Fayette Town

Lysander Town

Liverpool Village

Madison County

Manlius Town

Manlius Village

Marcellus Town

Marcellus Village

Minoa Village

North Syracuse Village

Onondaga County

Onondaga Town

Phoenix Village

Pompey Town

Salina Town

Solvay Village

Sullivan Town

Syracuse City

Van Buren Town

West Monroe Town

For additional information on the Stormwater Program, please send an e-mail to stormwater@cnyrpdb.org