Erie County Government - Official website of the Erie County, NY Government
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Thomas Hersey, Jr. - Pollution Prevention Coordinator
Edward A. Rath County Office Building
95 Franklin Street, Room 1077
Buffalo, New York 14202
Phone: 716-858-6370
Stormwater Program Contacts:
Mary C. Rossi
Project Manager
Phone: 716-858-7583
Richard Rutkowski
Environmental Compliance Specialist
Phone: 716 -858-6085
Vicki Haas
Junior Environmentalist
Phone: 716-858-7024
Erie County, New York
Western New York Stormwater Coalition
A partnership to protect water quality
A number of communities in Western New York have joined together to develop a stormwater management program to protect our waterways and enhance our quality of life. The goal of the Coalition is to utilize regional collaboration to identify existing resources and develop programs to reduce the negative impacts of stormwater pollution. The purpose of this web site is to enhance public knowledge and awareness of stormwater pollution and provide information to individuals and households to prevent stormwater pollution and protect water quality.
Erie County's Annual Report is now available for public comment. The report will not be presented at an open public meeting, however, a public meeting for questions and comments on the report can be scheduled upon request. Please contact Mary Rossi at 716-858-6370 to do so.
Stormwater is water from rain or melting snow that does not soak into the ground. It flows from rooftops, over paved areas, bare soil, and sloped lawns. As it flows, stormwater runoff collects and transports soil, animal waste, salt, pesticides, fertilizers, oil and grease, debris and other potential pollutants.
Rain and snowmelt wash pollutants from streets, construction sites, and land into storm sewers and ditches. Eventually, the storm sewers and ditches empty the polluted stormwater directly into streams and rivers with no treatment. This is known as stormwater pollution.
Polluted stormwater degrades our lakes, rivers, wetlands and other waterways. Nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen can cause the overgrowth of algae resulting in oxygen depletion in waterways. Toxic substances from motor vehicles, and careless application of pesticides and fertilizers threaten water quality and can kill fish and other aquatic life. Bacteria from animal wastes and improper connections to storm sewer systems can make lakes and waterways unsafe for wading, swimming and fish consumption. Eroded soil is a pollutant as well. It clouds the waterway and interferes with the habitat of fish and plant life.
Water that goes down a sink or other inside drain flows to either a wastewater treatment plant or to a septic system for treatment. Storm sewer flows are not treated. Water that flows down driveways, streets, and outside areas and into a storm sewer or ditch flows directly to the nearest creek, fish and wildlife habitats, downstream recreational areas, and drinking water supplies.
Some common pollutants found in storm sewers and creeks include:
It's important to remember that any type of surface water runoff, not just rainfall, can run into the storm sewer and collect in the stormwater management system. For example, when you wash your car on the driveway, that water ends up in the system. That's why we need to be careful with what we put into the storm sewers as traces of all this material can end up in the stormwater system and our local waterways.
To learn more about preventing stormwater pollution, contact the Erie County Department of Environment and Planning at (716) 858-6370 or download the Household Guide to Preventing Stormwater Pollution.
The Western New York Stormwater Coalition is a forum for the regulated communities to share resources and work in partnership toward compliance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Phase II Stormwater requirements. The overall goal of the Coalition is to utilize regional collaboration to identify existing resources and develop programs to reduce the negative impacts of stormwater pollution.
The U.S. EPA Phase II Rule requires operators of small municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) to develop and implement a stormwater management program that addresses six minimum controls. The six minimum controls are listed below and along with them, the associated work products of the Western New York Stormwater Coalition:
For information on the Coalition and how it is working to address the requirements of the Phase II Stormwater Rule, contact the Erie County Department of Environment and Planning at (716) 858-6370.
Your information resource from the government of Erie County, New York
