UMass Storm Water Management Plan

This Storm Water Management Program is a planning document that will help the University manage storm water run-off that enters our storm water drainage system. This system known technically as the “Municipal Separate Storm sewer System” (MS4) empties, most often untreated, into brooks, rivers, ponds, lakes and eventually the ocean. The purpose of the MS4 system is to prevent flooding of our buildings and infrastructure. Unfortunately, these systems can also carry pollutants such as silt, chemicals, trash and any other material found on lawns, streets and parking lots, which can harm the fauna utilizing our water bodies.  This program describes our system as well as prevention activities and measures. In summary, it includes the following:

  • A public education program to help our students, staff, contractors and visitors understand their role in keeping our storm systems clean
  • Provides opportunities for our public to participate and provide comments and suggestion to our storm water program
  • Plans to find unauthorized or problematic discharges to our MS4 and correct these discharges
  • The UMA approach to ensure that construction projects implement effective best management practices to control runoff from their sites, especially silt and debris.
  • Procedures to ensure effective storm water infrastructure and controls are included in the design of new and re-development projects and that the maintenance of the newly installed controls are added to our preventive maintenance system
  • A program detailing pollution prevention activities such as proper storage, street sweeping, catch basin cleaning, and maintaining a trained and properly equipped spill cleanup team

Further storm water related information

Emergencies

Contact

Environmental Health & Safety
117 Draper Hall
40 Campus Center Way
Amherst, MA 01003

413.545.2682 
413.545.2600 (Fax)

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