Stormwater Management 

Stormwater management is the effort to reduce runoff of rainwater or melted snow into streets, lawns and other sites and the improvement of water quality, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In natural settings, rainwater or snow melt slowly soaks into the ground surface or flows overland into adjacent streams. In developed areas, natural surfaces are often replaced with hard surfaces such as streets, sidewalks, parking lots, homes or other similar structures. If not properly controlled, stormwater runoff from those areas can overwhelm streams and embankments and could cause major flooding, soil erosion and water pollution.

A growing awareness of just how vulnerable Pennsylvania’s waterways have become to damage from stormwater runoff has resulted in legislation requiring municipalities like Cranberry to obtain permits before discharging stormwater runoff into waterways like Brush Creek.  

Under federal regulations, certain municipalities within urbanized areas, including Cranberry, are required to apply for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits.  Permit-holding municipalities are required to create and implement plans reducing the level of pollutants, including silt, that enters their waterways. Part of Cranberry’s program is designed to reduce soil erosion.

The Township has a permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to operate the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). These permits, valid for five years, require communities to put stormwater management programs in place that reduce the discharge of pollutants, educate the public, and protect local water quality.

Cranberry Township is also required to develop and implement a Pollution Reduction Plan (PRP) under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit For Stormwater Discharges From Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4).

Find out more about Stormwater Runoff

Stormwater regulations

Community Park Stream Restoration 2022

A project to restore the stream in Community Park was completed in the summer and fall of 2022 by the Township's Public Works and Engineering departments.

Pond Inspection

Stormwater System Maintenance

Cranberry’s current stormwater management system is extensive.  Parts of it are privately owned, other parts are municipal property. All property owners are required to keep their stormwater facilities in working order at their own expense. Cranberry currently spends over a million dollars a year to maintain its portions of that system. Until recently, Cranberry financed its stormwater system and flood control maintenance from general tax revenues. However, with the state’s updated regulations, that expense has grown.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection has issued a series of updated regulations designed to reduce water pollution and protect property against flooding from stormwater. Those regulations must be implemented by 2023.

Questions

Contact: Cranberry Township General Authority
Address: 2525 Rochester Road, Suite 207
Cranberry Township, PA  16066                          
Hours: Mon-Fri, 7:30 AM-5:00 PM
Ph: 724-720-6470
Email: stormwater@cranberrytownship.org

Stormwater Fee (as well as Water and Sewer Rates)

Stormwater Rate Appeal Form

General Authority logoMore About the Cranberry Township General Authority

The Board of Supervisors created the General Authority to take advantage of programs and funding opportunities offered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to municipal authorities that assist in implementing municipal services and other activities permitted by the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Act.


Rules & Regulations  Stormwater Management Program Rules & Regulations

General Authority Meetings are listed here, Meetings of Boards & Commissions

Agendas & Minutes  

Agenda Archives

Minutes Archives

  1. What is stormwater and why is it a concern for Cranberry Township?
  2. What is the Township’s Stormwater Management Program?
  3. What is a base rate utility and who pays it?
  4. Are property owners who don’t use public sewer and water part of the base rate utility?
  5. Why not use the Township’s General Fund to absorb these costs?
  6. If the stormwater rate is to generate funds to replace the dollars currently coming from the General Fund, how are those General Fund dollars being re-purposed?
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