Stormwater Management

Department of Public Works
647 Long Pond Road, Greece, NY 14612
Stormwater Management Coordinator: Mathew Trau, P.E.
mtrau1@greeceny.gov
(585) 225-4590
Office Hours - Monday-Friday: 7:30am - 3:30pm

Stormwater Management Program (SWMP)

The Town of Greece Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) is designed to protect local water quality and prevent pollutants from entering our streams, wetlands, and other waterbodies through stormwater runoff. Stormwater can carry contaminants such as sediment, nutrients, oils, trash, and chemicals from streets, lawns, and construction sites into nearby waterways. The Town’s program works to reduce these pollutants and promote responsible stormwater practices throughout the community.

See links below for more information, including the Monroe County Stormwater Coalition’s annual report, tips for preventing stormwater pollution, green infrastructure in your home, and living next to stormwater management ponds and wetlands.

The SWMP includes six required Minimum Control Measures (MCMs):

Public Education & Outreach – Informing residents and businesses about how everyday activities affect stormwater and water quality.
Public Involvement & Participation – Encouraging community participation in protecting local waterways.
Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination – Identifying and eliminating illegal connections or discharges to the storm sewer system.
Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control – Reducing erosion and sediment runoff from active construction sites.
Post-Construction Stormwater Management – Ensuring long-term stormwater controls are in place for new development and redevelopment projects.
Pollution Prevention & Good Housekeeping – Implementing municipal practices that minimize pollutants from Town operations and facilities.

The Town of Greece works closely with the Monroe County Stormwater Coalition to develop educational materials, coordinate public outreach efforts, and provide training for municipal staff. These partnerships help ensure the Town has the resources and tools necessary to protect stormwater and maintain healthy water resources.

Stormwater FAQ's & Information

Stormwater Education: The Basics

Stormwater runoff occurs when water from rain or snowmelt flows over the ground and is prevented from soaking into the ground naturally because of impervious surfaces such as driveways, sidewalks, and streets. As it flows, this water picks up debris and other pollutants that can have an adverse effect on water quality. Most suburban storm sewer systems discharge directly into the waterbodies we use for swimming, fishing, and drinking water. Polluted runoff is one of the nation’s greatest threats to clean water.

Most residents may not realize they live in a watershed. Every drop of precipitation that falls in the Town of Greece will eventually end up in Local waterbodies such as:

Black Creek
Braddock Bay
Buck Pond
Buttonwood Creek
Cranberry Pond
Erie Canal
Fleming Creek
Kirk Creek
Little Pond
Long Pond
Northrup Creek
Paddy Hill Creek
Round Pond
Round Pond Creek
Salmon Creek
Slater Creek

What are the Negative Impacts of a Polluted Stormwater system?

Sediment picked up by runoff can impact aquatic habitats.
Bacteria can enter swimming areas, create health hazards, and lead to beach closures.
Debris washed into waterbodies can harm aquatic life such as ducks, fish, turtles, and birds.
Household hazardous waste such as pesticides, insecticides, paint solvents, and auto fluids can also impact aquatic life.
Animals and people can become sick from eating contaminated fish or ingesting impacted water.
Stormwater runoff can also impact drinking water sources. This can raise the cost of water treatment and can affect human health.

Who can I contact with stormwater concerns?

If you live in the Town of Greece and you have a stormwater concern or complaint, you can email or call the Dept. of Public Works at (585) 225-4590. Our office wants to help in any way we can. Please make sure to call with any questions, issues, or concerns that you might have.

What is an Illicit Discharge?

Federal regulations define an illicit discharge as:

“…any discharge to a municipal sewer that is not composed entirely of stormwater…”

with some exceptions. These exceptions include discharges from permitted industrial sources and discharges from firefighting activities. Illicit discharges are considered “illicit” because municipalities are not designed to accept, process, or discharge such non-stormwater wastes.

In Greece, the storm sewer system is a separate system of catch basins, pipes, and swales and is not part of the sanitary sewer system that transports sewage from our homes to the water resource recovery facility. That means water that enters the storm sewer system is transported to the nearest waterway, and ultimately to Lake Ontario, without being treated at a sewage treatment plant. Illicit discharges in storm sewer systems can cause significant environmental impacts to natural waterways, including algae blooms and bacteria, beach closures, fish kills, and water chemistry imbalance. For additional information about the impact of illicit discharges, visit the Monroe County Stormwater Coalition web page.

Sources of Illicit Discharges:

Sanitary wastewater
Effluent from septic tanks
Car wash wastewaters
Improper oil disposal
Laundry wastewaters
Spills from roadway accidents
Improper disposal of auto and
Household toxins

How to report an Illicit Discharge?

Illicit discharges can come from a wide-range of sources including illegal dumping of paints, oils, cleaners, hazardous wastes, and pool backwash water, as well as improper connections of sanitary sewer lines or laundry waste to the stormwater system. Illicit discharges can seriously degrade water quality. If you see or suspect an illicit discharge, please contact us and/or report it by clicking the Illicit Discharge Reporting Form link or the Form Blue Button below.