NEW! Download Proposed Stormwater Bylaws
Click below to view the 2007 Watershed Action Plan for Stony Brook & Nashoba Brook Watersheds
What is stormwater?
Stormwater is the water that runs off the land surface when it rains or when snow melts. It enters the Town’s storm drain system and is conveyed directly to local lakes, streams, and wetlands. Stormwater runoff from natural (vegetated) land is typically low since most rain or snow melt infiltrates into the ground or is lost to evaporation. Impervious surfaces like streets, parking lots, and rooftops prevent stormwater from naturally soaking into the ground and create extra runoff.
Why does stormwater matter?
Stormwater typically contains a number of pollutants, such as oil and grease from roadways and parking lots, pesticides and fertilizers from lawns, sediment from construction sites, sand and dirt from roadway maintenance practices, and carelessly discarded trash such as cigarette butts, wrappers, and plastic bottles. When these pollutants enter water bodies, they can contaminate drinking water supplies, hinder recreation activities, and harm aquatic and other wildlife habitats.
In addition to washing pollutants into our surface waters, improperly managed storm water runoff can result in soil erosion and flooding.
What does EPA and MassDEP require municipalities to do about stormwater?
The Clean Water Act authorizes EPA to regulate point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. So-called "point sources" are generated from a variety of municipal and industrial operations, including treated wastewater, process water, cooling water, and storm water runoff from drainage systems. The NPDES Phase I Stormwater Program, in place since 1990, regulates:
· cities and counties with populations of 100,000 that operate a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4),
· specific industrial operations (as defined at 40 CFR 122.26(b)(14)), and
· construction activities that disturb 5 or more acres of land.
The NPDES Phase II Stormwater Program became effective in Massachusetts in May 2003. It regulates MS4s located within "urbanized areas" as defined by the 2000 U.S. Census and construction activities that disturb between 1 and 5 acres. Westford is regulated by the Phase II Stormwater Program, and a map of Westford’s Regulated Area (Urbanized Area) is available here: http://www.epa.gov/ne/npdes/stormwater/assets/pdfs/ma/Westford.pdf.
Objectives of the Phase II Stormwater Program are to reduce the discharge of stormwater pollutants to the maximum extent practicable, to protect water quality, and to satisfy the appropriate water quality requirements of the Clean Water Act. In order for a municipality to meet these objectives, EPA has defined the following six “minimum control measures” that are to be addressed:
1. Public Education and Outreach
2. Public Participation and Involvement
3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
4. Construction Site Runoff Control
5. Post-Construction Runoff Control
6. Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations
The intent is for municipalities to address these six minimum control measures by identifying and implementing the appropriate Best Management Practices (BMPs) that apply to their community. The full General Permit, which explains the requirements of the program in detail, is available here: http://www.epa.gov/ne/npdes/permits/permit_final_ms4.pdf
What is the Westford doing to manage the Town’s stormwater?
Westford submitted their Notice of Intent (NOI) to EPA and MassDEP in 2003 outlining the BMPs that the Town planned to include in their stormwater management program to comply with the terms of the General Permit. The NOI is available to the public on EPA’s website:
The following Annual Reports that were submitted to EPA and MassDEP describe the Town’s activities each year. The Permit Year 5 Annual Report is due on May 1, 2008.
Recent Stormwater Activities in Westford
Through their Engineering Department, Westford is conducting a variety of activities as part of their Stormwater Management Program. The following are examples of activities completed or underway during Permit Year 5:
 2007 Watershed Action Plan for Stony Brook and Nashoba Brook Watersheds
The Town developed a Watershed Action Plan for the Stony Brook & Nashoba Brook Watersheds through a Smart Growth Technical Assistance Grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). Click the image to the left to view the Watershed Action Plan.
 New Proposed Stormwater Management and Discharge Bylaws:
As part of the Phase II Stormwater Program, EPA requires Westford and hundreds of other communities to adopt bylaws that address the impacts of illicit discharges and illegal dumping, construction site runoff, post development runoff, and nonpoint source pollution. These bylaws must be adopted by Spring 2008. Please click the links below to view the two proposed bylaws or the image to the left to view our informational brochure.
Report Illegal Discharges!
This year the Town completed investigations of storm drain outfalls in an effort to identity illegal discharges (such as septic systems, sewer connections, and hazardous waste) entering the storm drain and polluting Westford’s water bodies. To find out more about illicit discharges and to view an Illicit Discharges Interactive Demonstration, please visit the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) website by clicking the link below:
Please help the Engineering Department find sources of pollution that enters the Towns storm drain.
 If you suspect illegal dumping or an illicit discharge, please contact the Town at stormwater@westfordma.gov or 978-692-5520.
Here is a sample of some of the activities that the Town of Westford is working on to protect our local resources:
1. Using classroom materials developed through our partnership with the SuAsCo Watershed Community Council, the Engineering Department and the Water Department just completed a week long Living Lab education program for all fifth grade students in Westford. The award winning Living Lab program introduces fifth grade students to the responsible stewardship of natural resources. Students were also given an outdoor demonstration of how storm drains function along the Reed Brook.
2. With help from the Water Department, we have installed colorful plastic markers provided by the SuAsCo Watershed Community Council at various storm drains along the Nashoba Brook corridor that read, “Don’t Pollute, Drains to Waterways”. The markers are intended to increase public awareness of stormwater pollution and remind everyone that storm drains directly impact our valuable natural resources. Click decal image at the bottom of the page for more information.
3. The Town of Westford recently completed a 2007 contract with Woodard & Curran for the testing of outfalls in order to identify and eliminate sources of illicit discharge.
4. Woodard & Curran also assisted the Town in completing a Watershed Action Plan (WAP) through a Smart Growth Technical Assistance Grant. Woodard & Curran is presently working with the Town to propose stormwater bylaws. (Follow the links above to view the WAP and proposed bylaws.)
5. The Engineering Department is working with the Highway Department and the Organization for the Assabet River (OAR) to install roadside signs identifying the Nashoba Brook in an effort to increase public awareness of the existence and importance of this surface water.
6. The Organization for the Assabet River is working with the Engineering Department to develop and deliver an employee training session in March '08 for various Town employees that would fulfill part of the Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping Minimum Control Measure of the town’s NPDES Stormwater Phase II permit. Specifically, this measure encourages towns to develop an Operation and Maintenance Plan to ensure that existing municipal operations are performed in ways that will minimize contamination of stormwater discharges and to “Include employee training on how to incorporate pollution prevention/good housekeeping techniques into municipal operations such as park and open space maintenance, fleet and building maintenance, new construction and land disturbances, and storm water system maintenance.”
7. Peter Severance (Westford Environmental News and Action Committee) reports that Riverways is currently working to identify sites for stream gauges on the Nashoba Brook and Stony Brook.
8. Distribution of over 700 Stormwater Tips Flyer to businesses in Westford with guidelines to prevent stormwater pollution. This flyer was created by the SuAsCo Watershed Community Council, a non-profit alliance of businesses, municipalities, environmental organizations, and state/federal/regional government agencies working together to keep pollutants out of our stormwater.
Click images below to see entire Stormwater Tips Flyer and letter to local businesses:
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