The General Permit and 5-year plan require that the Town continue to map its storm drain system, inspect catch basins and outfalls to make sure there are no pollutants discharging to the Salmon Falls River, Great Works River and small streams.
Under the 5-year plan, the Town will continue to regulate development to ensure stormwater treatment systems get installed and maintained properly, and the Town will inspect and maintain its own stormwater collection and treatment system.
Public Education and Participation continue to be important elements. Previously the Town focused on educating residents about the YardScaping Program, which offers alternatives to applying pesticides and fertilizers on lawns. You can find more information about the YardScaping program at www.yardscaping.org.
Moving forward, the Town will focus on cigarette butt litter reduction and proper pet waste disposal. The Town is collaborating with 4 other towns on this effort and has posted their progress on the Southern Maine Stormwater Working Group (SMSWG) website: Visit LitteRadar – SMSWG for more information.
In addition to Pet Waste and Cigarette Butt litter reduction, the Town offers an annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day in October(Check Transfer Station page for more information.) Never dump your unwanted chemicals into a storm drain or leave them exposed to the weather. Bring your household hazardous wastes in during South Berwick’s Collection Day to protect our local rivers, lakes and bays from polluted runoff.
What are all those markings on our Streets?
They are there to raise awareness about reducing stormwater pollution of our waters. These catch basins discharge directly to our water bodies – untreated. Remember: Nothing but RAIN down the DRAIN.
The following items in the drop down menus below are public documents related to the General Permit, including the Town’s 5-year plan and recent annual reports.
The Document Center provides easy access to public documents. Click on one of the categories below to see related documents or use the search function.
