MS4 Stormwater Program

Stormwater Management – be an H2O Hero

Illicit Discharges
Stormwater Educational Messages

The Town of Perinton has developed and implemented a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) that is committed to collaborating with local businesses and residents in pursuit of clean water in accordance with the NYSDEC SPEDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Municipal Separate Storm Systems (MS4). The SWMP plan consists of six minimum control measures including Public Education & Outreach, Public Involvement & Participation, Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination, Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control, Post-Construction Stormwater Management, and Pollution Prevention / Good Housekeeping for Municipal Facilities & Operations.

Stormwater pollution can result from the discharge of sediment, bacteria, fertilizers, pesticides, chlorides, trace heavy metals, and automotive fluids into natural waterbodies. These pollutants are typically washed from surfaces such as parking lots, roads, roofs, and construction sites during a rainstorm or snow melt events. The road-side gutters, storm drains, pipes, ditches, and outfalls that comprise the storm sewer system transport these pollutants, via stormwater runoff, to the nearest waterway. In the Town of Perinton, stormwater runoff is not treated at a wastewater treatment plant.

The Town of Perinton collaborates with the Stormwater Coalition of Monroe County to help create educational opportunities, investigate and implement best management practices, develop program initiatives, and offer training to ensure that Perinton has the tools it needs to keep our local waterways clean of stormwater pollution. The Stormwater Coalition of Monroe County is a collective group of 29 municipal representatives from numerous Towns, Villages, and SUNY Schools throughout Monroe County. Through collaboration, this coalition complies with federal and state stormwater regulations.

Stormwater Program Coordinator & Program Plan Contact:
Eric M. Williams: Assistant to the Commissioner of Public Works
(585) 223-5115 / ewilliams@perinton.org

To learn more about stormwater and how you can keep water clean, please visit the following links:








Perinton’s Stormwater Annual Report

The Town of Perinton reports on the progress & success of its Stormwater Program Plan to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation annual. The 2025 Annual Report, which covers the 2024 calendar year includes compliance activities and program initiatives that have been accomplished for the year. The Annual Report also includes performance measures used to evaluate the overall effectiveness of each minimum control measure. Reportable activities specific to the Town of Perinton can be viewed using the link below. The public is encouraged to review these materials and provide comments to the Stormwater Coalition staff or to the Town of Perinton.

More information on the Annual Report activities / programs completed by the Town of Perinton, please view the link below:

2025 MS4 Annual Report/Interim Progress Certification: Perinton

Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) Plan

The Town of Perinton’s Stormwater Management Program Plan is available for review at the Public Works Department, located at 100 Cobb’s Lane, Fairport 14450. Questions or comments regarding the SWMP Plan should be directed to the Stormwater Program Coordinator & Program Plan Contact (contact info listed above).

Stormwater FAQ’s

Stormwater can be defined as surface water run-off that is generated by rain or snowmelt within a watershed area.   In urban areas, rain that falls on the roof of your house, or collects on paved areas like driveways, roads and sidewalks is carried away through a system of drainage inlets and pipes called a storm sewer system. 

Yes, the storm sewer system is separate from the sanitary sewer system. Unlike the sanitary sewer system, the collected stormwater is not treated. In some cases it may be filtered through a stormwater management pond; in other cases, it flows directly from the neighboring streets into streams, wetlands, rivers, embayment areas, and lakes. Learn more about the difference between the sanitary system and the storm system.

To learn more about the Sanitary Sewer System.

An Illicit discharge is defined as any discharge to a municipal sewer that is not composed entirely of stormwater, with some specific exceptions. These exceptions include discharges from permitted industrial sources and discharges from fire-fighting activities. Illicit discharges are considered “illicit” because not all municipal storm sewer systems are designed to accept, process, and treat such non-stormwater wastes. For more information about illicit discharges, please visit the Illicit Discharge Page.

To Report an Illicit Discharge, please contact Eric M. Williams, CPESC & CPSWQ – Stormwater Program Coordinator at (585) 223-5115 or ewilliams@perinton.org.

To Report a Construction Site related stormwater concern, please contact Eric M. Williams, CPESC & CPSWQ – Stormwater Program Coordinator at (585) 223-5115 or ewilliams@perinton.org.

If you live or often spend time near a waterway, you are probably familiar with what happens after a rain event. Polluted run-off emptying into clean water is often discolored from sediment and/or plagued with litter. You may be advised not to swim or fish for a couple of days following a rain event because of the poor water quality.

Common pollutants associated with urban stormwater run-off include pesticides, fertilizers, oils, salt, litter, and sediment. These contaminants are, in many instances, transported directly from the storm sewer system into our waterbodies.  These pollutants can destroy wildlife, cause the destruction of spawning habitats, reduce the aesthetic value of a stream corridor, wetland or pond, and limit recreational uses of our waterways.

If a waterbody exhibits significant signs of pollution, the NYSDEC may list it as “impaired“, which means it has identified the pollutant(s) of concern and the suspected source. Pollutants of concern can vary from elevated nutrient loading (phosphorus and nitrogen), pathogens, silt/sediment, or chemical toxicity with pollutant sources ranging from urban stormwater run-off, excessive stream bank erosion, agriculture activities, or poorly functioning wastewater treatment systems (septic systems or cross-connected sanitary sewer systems).

Yes; The NYSDEC has listed a segment of Thomas Creek/White Brook (and tribs) as an impaired waterbody with the pollutant of concern identified as PHOSPHORUS. The suspected source of this pollutant is identified as MUNICIPAL, URBAN RUN-OFF; otherwise known as stormwater run-off. This designation requires that the Town of Perinton develop a Water Quality Improvement Strategy that will implement additional stormwater controls for areas of Town that discharge to waters impaired by Phosphorus.

In Perinton, stormwater is managed through comprehensive land use planning, zoning laws, building codes, and a local erosion and sediment control, construction/post construction stormwater pollution prevention and illicit discharge law.  Stormwater is also regulated at the State and Federal government level as well.  

Since significant changes were made to the Federal Clean Water Act in 1972 and 1978, the quality of the nation’s water resources have greatly improved.  Unfortunately, about 40% of the nation’s streams, rivers, wetlands, lakes, ponds, and embayment areas still receive contaminated stormwater runoff from rural and urban areas.  In order to ensure that continued progress is made by the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) established a new set of stormwater regulations in 2003 to help control stormwater run-off. These regulations placed strict controls on earth disturbing activities and mandated that local municipalities implement minimum measures to mitigate the impacts of stormwater run-off on our water resources.

These Stormwater Regulations require the Town of Perinton to develop a Stormwater Management Program that focuses on ways to improve water quality and reduce stormwater pollutants within the community.  Perinton’s program has been under development since early 2004 and has implemented many of the recommended pollution prevention measures.  In order to track Perinton’s progress and the success with its program, an Annual Report is prepared and submitted to the NYSDEC for review every June.  The Annual Report attempts to outline specific water quality control activities undertaken by the Town during the previous year.  This year’s Annual Report can be viewed online under “Links of Interest”.  A hard copy will also be made available for review at the Perinton Public Works Office. 

  • Remember: “Only rain down the drain”.  The storm sewer system is for rainwater and snow melt only.  Even leaves or grass clippings can diminish the capacity of a storm sewer system
  • Never dump or pour any material (either solid or liquid) into the storm sewer system.
  • Reduce the amount of and use environmentally friendly pesticides and fertilizers on your lawn.
  • Minimize the usage of de-icing materials on driveways and walks.
  • Properly dispose of pet wastes.
  • Compost vegetative material (grass clippings and other yard debris).
  • Drain your swimming pool only when a test kit detects that no chlorine is present.
  • Wash your vehicle on your lawn instead of on your driveway.
  • Conduct regular maintenance on your septic system.

With help from the public, stormwater pollution can be controlled.  The most effective way to reduce this pollution is to stop it from entering the storm sewer system in the first place.

The Town of Perinton has utilized volunteers to stencil or mark storm drains reminding the neighborhood that “Only rain goes down the drain”. For more information regarding the Town’s Stormwater Management Program, including the draft annual report, or becoming a stormwater project volunteer, please contact us or call the Perinton Public Works Department at (585) 223-5115.

If you have any comments on the Town of Perinton’s Stormwater Management Program Plan or have a stormwater concern or question, please contact the Town’s Stormwater Program Coordinator below:

Contact Public Works

Email: Public Works

Eric M. Williams, CPESC & CPSWQ

Asst. Commissioner of Public Works / Stormwater Program Coordinator

Business Hours: Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone: (585) 223-5115 / Fax: (585) 223-0448
After Hours Contact: (585) 425-7380