Tookany Creek Watershed
Sump Pump and Ground Water Standards
Ordinance (pdf) - Adopted May 2005
Sump Pump
Inspections Begin October 2005
Stormwater Management Ordinance (pdf) - Adopted September 2004
Pennsylvania Act 167 Stormwater Management Plan
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4)
Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Management Plan - Final Draft - Scheduled for adoption June 2009
Cheltenham Township Public Works Stormwater Quality Operations and Maintenance Manual (pdf)
Volunteers Needed
- Edward Hicks Parry on September 13, 2008
Thank you all 43 volunteers for a successful project!
- George A. Perley on November 15, 2008
Saturday, Dec 6, 2008 @ 11AM-2PM @ Cedarbrook Middle School
Recycle your old electronics for $1 per lb. None of the material will be tipped into landfills, incinerated as solid waste or dumped in developing countries.
Sump pumps illegally discharging into the sanitary sewer system is a major contributor to the water pollution in Cheltenham Township. During rainfalls, sump pump discharges can overload the sanitary sewers, causing sewage backups into homes and businesses that also infiltrate local waterways.
Under the Sump Pump and Groundwater Standards Ordinance adopted in May 2005, the Township will begin property inspections to identify and eliminate illegal sump pump connections. The inspections began in October 2005 and will take several years to complete. An inspector wearing proper identification will visit each property and ask to enter the premises. If no one is present, the inspector will leave information asking the resident to contact the Public Works Department to schedule an appointment at the property owner’s convenience. The Township may periodically re-inspect any building or premise.
See the full Sump Pump and Groundwater Standards Ordinance for more complete details.
Cheltenham Township's
Top 10 Tips for Cleaner Water
EPA Stormwater Outreach Materials and Reference Documents
EPA National Menu of Stormwater Best Management Practices
When It Rains, It Drains (pdf file)
Stormwater BMPs for the Homeowner (pdf)
A Homeowner's Guide to Stormwater Management - Phila. Water Dept. (PDF)
Wissahickon Watershed Partnership & Homeowner's Guide to Stormwater Management (pdf)
After the Storm (pdf)
Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed website
Celebrate the Tookany Creek Watershed
Page 1 (pdf file)
Page 2 (pdf file)
Saving Our Local Watershed: Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed (pdf file)
Make Your Home the Solution to Stormwater Pollution (pdf file)
Plant a Tree
Trees clean air of pollutants, reduce summer heat, buffer noise, reduce stormwater runoff and recharge water tables.
Clean Water Tips for Businesses (pdf)
Best Management Practices for Businesses
Auto Maintenance, Repair & Fueling
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) awarded a grant to Cheltenham Township to study how to conserve river resources and protect river values in the four suburban municipalities along the Tookany Creek in Montgomery County. Officials from Cheltenham and Abington Townships and Jenkintown and Rockledge Boroughs conducted a public meeting on Thursday, May 22, 2003, at Curtis Hall for the purpose of releasing to the public, the preliminary draft of the Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan (TCWMP) study. The final presentation of the plan was unveiled in September 2003 and subsequently adopted by the Cheltenham Township Board of Commissioners in December 2003. The Tookany Creek was subsequently listed on the Pennsylvania Rivers Registry by the Pennsylvania Deparetment of Conservation and Natural Resources in April 2004.
The TCWMP was developed by environmental consultant, Heritage Conservancy, of Doylestown, PA, in cooperation with Cheltenham Township, Abington Township, Jenkintown Borough, and Rockledge Borough. The recommendations of the TCWMP will identify and document significant river resources, identify potential threats and implementation strategies that will restore, maintain, or enhance these resources. The plan identifies a number of projects to enhance the overall health of the watershed. Since the plan has been adopted, the Township is eligible for implementation funds annually from the DCNR.
For further information, contact Cheltenham Township Assistant Township Manager Bryan T. Havir.
The Tookany
Creek Watershed Management Plan Final Report - October 10, 2003 (PDF File)
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)
The federally mandated Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, which was designed to monitor and improve water quality in waterways across the nation, will soon impact residents, businesses and developers in Cheltenham. Working with neighboring communities, the Township is developing an extensive storm water management program that incorporates six required components:
1. Public Education and Outreach
2. Public involvement and Participation
3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
4. Construction Stormwater Runoff Management
5. Post Construction Stormwater Management
6. Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping.
The Township must submit annual reports detailing the program’s progress to the Department of Environmental Protection, which will oversee the effort in every state.
Pennsylvania Act 167 Stormwater Management Plan
Cheltenham Township, in partnership with the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), is requesting cooperation from our residents for an on-going, mult-phase watershed-wide study we are undertaking of the Tookany Creek. The study will entail the collection of survey data at over 100 sites. PWD crews will install metal rebar, set up survey equipment to take cross-section measurements and use global positioning system equipment to spatially identify the locations of these sites.
The study will help the Township determine the flow patterns in the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed, which in turn will aid our efforts to mitigate storm flow damage to the stream. Study information will help the Township design projects aimed at decreasing the erosive effects of storm water, reducing the quantity of water that flows into the streams, and stabilizing and restoring the stream banks so they can withstand storm flows. The Township’s approach will emphasize hydraulic sustainability, better manage on-site storm water, enhance riparian and biological habitats, and improve aesthetics. In addition, the data will be used for a storm water management study of the entire Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed.
We completed Phase I of the study in January 2004. Significant fieldwork will continue over the next several years, and the Township requests residents’ cooperation and understanding if PWD crews need access to the creek through the rear of some properties while conducting the study. PWD crews will carry photo IDs in view on the persons at all times. Anyone with questions may contact Cheltenham Township for more information.
PLANTING IN CHELTENHAM BIRD SANCTUARIES
1. George A. Perley Bird Sanctuary Planting - November 15, 2008
Cheltenham Township seeks volunteers to plant native species in the George A. Perley Bird Sanctuary on Glenside Avenue and Rices Mill Road on Saturday, November 15, from 9 AM to 4 PM. The planting follows a township program to eradicate invasive exotic plants from several township parks.
Imported from around the world for home garden use, invasive plants like English ivy escaped into the wild and multiplied, almost entirely displacing native flora and corrupting the habitat and food supply for wildlife. To reverse this ecological damage, the most environmentally benign herbicide was applied in the smallest possible quantities to invasive plants in eight parks. Now it’s time to replant. Everyone is welcome to pitch in; just bring gloves and shovels.
This planting will focus on the riparian buffer along the Tookany Creek. In addition to restoring original vegetation, many native plants feature deeper root systems, which better curb erosion along streambanks. A healthy riparian buffer also enhances water quality by filtering out pollution before it reaches the waterway.
Residents can support the restoration of native plants by either eliminating exotic invasive species from their own home landscapes or ensuring they remain contained with proper pruning and maintenance. A list of invasive plants is available online. For more information, call 215-887-6200, ext. 112.
2. Edward Parry Hicks Bird Sanctuary Planting - September 13, 2008
The photographs below show the successful planting of the riparian buffer installed by 43 community volunteers. This project was funded by a PA DCNR Tree Vitalize grant.
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