Hearing set on update to stormwater ordinance
LONDONDERRY — The Town Council will hold a public hearing about updating the storm water ordinance at its June 17 meeting.
During the June 3 Town Council meeting, Town Manager Michael Malaguti briefly discussed plans to bring forward an amendment to the current storm water regulations in town.
The ordinance will update the permitting process and make it more enforceable, as well as implement regulations to control sediment and erosion, Malaguti said.
“Basically, the intention is to make sure water discharges are not contaminated,” Malaguti said in an interview explaining the amendment.
The permit would affect new construction more than anything, Malaguti said, as well as projects like a new street sweeping initiative he’s hoping to start.
The town will be able to monitor and test the storm water coming off of different construction sites and new buildings through the permit and the town’s engineering department, Malaguti said. This will help keep track of the town’s PFAS levels, as well as mitigate sediment in the water and soil erosion.
“We have been doing what we can with resources we have to comply with the federal mandate,” Malaguti said. “But we recognize that if we didn’t increase funding for things like street sweeping, or an ordinance that complies with MS4 requirements, we’d potentially be subject to fines and penalties in the future.”
In Londonderry, storm water is regulated through the New Hampshire Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems, also called the MS4.
The MS4 is, in turn, supervised through the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Malaguti said it’s important for Londonderry to be on top of their storm water’s quality because of potential penalties the EPA could levy against the town.
Beyond that, Malaguti said he wants to use this to ensure the safety of the habitats and wetlands in Londonderry. He said there’s been an awareness about conservation going back to the 2013 town masterplan, and he wants to take advantage of the quality of life that both the development growth and natural environment have to offer.
