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Stormwater Management  

        Our area has had rainstorms of unprecedented intensity over the past two or three years. Years ago, a one-inch rainfall was a steady, but much gentler storm that lasted much of the day. This prolonged time period gave the ground time to absorb most of the rainfall. A one-inch rainfall in recent times is very different. The same one-inch of rain drops in minutes, not hours, far quicker than it can be absorbed by the ground. The stormwater that is not absorbed fills the watercourses and the underground collection systems and often overflows the capacity thereof causing potential damage to properties. Many of the homes in the Borough have seepage pits in their yards to collect the runoff from roof, driveway and patio/walkway areas. Generally, seepage pits are designed to accommodate a two-inch rainfall, which is a very significant event. Unfortunately, many seepage pits are at locations unknown to the property owner because the access covers are covered by overgrown grass, or were installed with the covers beneath the ground surface. Newer installations required monitoring ports and/or the covers to be visible. All property owners are strongly encouraged to have their seepage pits located, to have the covers extended up to grade to be visible, and to initiate a simple regular monitoring/maintenance program that can most likely be implemented by a competent property management/landscaping contractor.  As a general rule-of-thumb, all seepage pits should be opened, inspected and cleaned twice annually, and after any storm event yielding two-inches of more of rainfall. Leaves, grass clippings, and loose mulch are the primary contributors to poor seepage pit performance. If a property owner neither knows the locations of their seepage pits, nor can see the access covers at ground level, the locations of these pits should be shown on the as-built surveys that were required at the time the homes were constructed and completed, or at the time of significant additions/improvements to same or to their property. Copies of these surveys should be obtained from the engineering firm that prepared your site plans, and may be on file with the Borough. For your own protection from stormwater damage, please maintain your seepage pits and consult your own engineering firm with any questions. 

Stormwater Management eCode