What is Stormwater Pollution?

As rain or melting snow flows over roads, driveways and lawns, it can pick up pollutants like motor oil, fertilizers, litter and pet waste. This “storm water” that is not absorbed and filtered by the ground is not treated and usually flows into a storm drain system or directly into nearby waterbodies. This becomes storm water pollution and can be harmful to aquatic life and create human health risks.

Water Quality Report (PDF)

Storm Water & Pollution Prevention (PDF)

Where does rainwater go? (Flyer)

The Village of East Hampton is dedicated to maintaining its natural resources and preserving the environment to enhance the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the Village. One of the ways the Village can do this is through the development of local laws to regulate land use activities in a manner that protects water quality. The stormwater management program will permit improved watershed management within the Village boundaries which will benefit the residents and enhance the community. Village departments will play a role in its implementation but the Village will work with other governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations as well as the public and private sectors to manage watershed resources.

While the Village is a small community it plays host to a wide variety of diverse environments be it the residential neighborhoods, our commercial streets, or the beautiful beaches; all of these places within the Village enrich the lives of our residents and visitors. Careful stewardship of our coastal and inland waterways and their watersheds is a responsibility shared by all residents of the Village of East Hampton and an obligation to protect them for future generations.

The Stormwater Management Program Plan (SWMPP) is an essential part of this watershed planning. The SWMPP is a living document that will be updated and modified as often and as frequently as needed so as to have a positive influence in the quality of the Village’s watersheds. One of the goals of this plan is to enhance communication with the public as well as raising awareness and interest in stormwater planning and implementing this program throughout the Village.

Village staff is ready to work with and help all residents to protect and maintain the Village’s diverse water bodies and watersheds and look forward to hearing all ideas and questions the general public may have and to meet the requirements of our municipal stormwater permit.

Purpose

The Stormwater Management Program Plan (SWMPP) was developed by the Village of East Hampton to meet the requirements for municipal separate storm water sewer systems (MS4s). For the purposes of the SWMPP the Village of East Hampton shall be referred to as “the Village”.

Water quality issues are often a result of the entire watershed’s water quality rather than any one location. As stormwater flows through a watershed it continuously accumulates chemicals, bacteria, sediment, and many other pollutants. Small incremental amounts of pollutants may not be a problem, but when these amounts begin to accumulate the end result may present water quality problems. Understanding this and the limitations of legal authority, it is the intent of the Village to implement a Stormwater Management Program to both improve and prevent further deterioration of the water quality throughout the Village of East Hampton.

The efforts described in this SWMPP are based on the following criteria: the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Stormwater II Final Rule; the New York State Stormwater Management Design Manual and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation SPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s), Permit No. GP-0-24-001. This reflects changes brough about by the replacement of the older permit GP-0-10-002 by the new permit as of January 3, 2024.

Background

In 1972, Congress enacted the Clean Water Act (CWA). Under the CWA, discharge of pollutants to waters of the United States from any point source is unlawful unless the discharge is covered under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The CWA has been amended multiple times since its enactment implementing additional program requirements.
Through delegation by the federal government, New York State is administering these program requirements through the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). In 2009 the Village received official notice from the NYSDEC that the Village had been formally designated as an MS4 operator that would be required to obtain coverage under the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation SPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Municipal Separate Storm Sewer 3 Systems (MS4s), Permit No. GP-0-08-002. The Village did so thereby gaining coverage under the GP-0-08-002. This permit was replaced in 2023 with the current permit.

Video by: Nassau SWCD