Mahwah November 6, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 9 Township regulates storm drains and Dumpsters by Frank J. McMahon The Mahwah Township Council has adopted two ordi- nances to regulate the retrofitting of storm drain inlets, refuse containers, and Dumpsters. According to Mahwah Township Administrator Brian Campion, the need for the storm drain ordinance became apparent during a recent annual inspection by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. At that time, the township was advised that an ordinance had to be in place in order to comply with the state’s storm water management regulations, which aim to protect public health, safety, and welfare. Campion told the council that the refuse container and Dumpster ordinance requires those containers to be covered at all times to prevent spilling and to make sure they do not leak. He pointed out that homeowners’ trash containers are exempt from the ordinance. The storm drain ordinance requires the retrofitting of exist- Clothing available The Clothing Closet Ministry at the Ramapo Reformed Church has free seasonal clothing available for infants, children, and adults. Items include a variety of sweaters, coats, jackets, shirts, jeans, dresses, sneakers, shoes, and more. For a referral, call the Mahwah Township Depart- ment of Human Services at (201) 529-5757. Mahwah resi- dency is not required. An appointment will be made with the volunteers of the Clothing Closet. The thrift shop is located at the rear of the education building of the church located at the corner of Island Road and West Ramapo Road in Mahwah. Donations of seasonal clothing are accepted on Wednes- days from 9:30 a.m. to noon. ing storm drain inlets that are in direct contact with repav- ing, repairing, reconstruction, or resurfacing or alterations of facilities on private property in order to prevent the discharge of solids and floatables (such as plastic bottles, cans, food wrappers, and other litter) into the municipal storm sewer system operated by the township. The ordinance prohibits any person in control of private property, except a residential lot with one single-family house, from authorizing the repaving, repairing, resurfacing, reconstructing, or altering any surface, excluding the repair of individual potholes, that is in direct contact with an exist- ing storm drain inlet on that property unless the inlet already meets the New Jersey Department of Transportation design standard for a bicycle safe grate or one that has an area of no more than seven square inches, or is no greater than five inches across the smallest dimension to control passage of solid and floatable materials. When design engineers use a curb-opening inlet, the clear space in that curb opening (or each individual clear space, if the curb opening has two or more clear spaces) shall have an area of no more than seven square inches, or be no greater than two inches across the smallest dimension. These standards do not apply when the municipal engi- neer agrees this standard would cause inadequate hydraulic performance that could not practicably be overcome by using additional or larger storm drain inlets that must meet other standards. The ordinance regulating refuse containers and Dump- sters amends the township code to require Dumpsters and other refuse containers that are outdoors or exposed to storm water to be covered at all times. The measure prohibits the spilling, dumping, leaking, or other discharge of liquids, semi- liquids, or solids from the containers to the municipal sepa- rate storm sewer system operated by the township and/or the waters of the state, such as streams and surface or ground water, so as to protect public health, safety, and welfare. Under this ordinance, any person who controls, whether owned, leased, or operated, a refuse container or Dumpster must ensure that such receptacle is covered at all times and must prevent refuse from spilling out, overflowing, or leak- ing. This ordinance includes several exemptions, such as permitted temporary demolition containers or litter recep- tacles, homeowners’ trash and recycling containers, refuse containers at facilities authorized to discharge storm water under a valid storm water management permit, or large bulky items such as furniture, bound carpet and padding, and white goods placed curbside for pickup. Both of these ordinances will be enforced by the town- ship’s property maintenance officer or the township engi- neer.