Stormwater Management

Construction Activities Permit Requirements Community Involvement Toolbox

Program Overview

The Clean Water Act of 1972 was enacted to reduce water pollution. The United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) stormwater program was implemented in 1990 under authority of the Clean Water Act. Since 2003, the Town of Malta has been required to take part in the New York State permit program for operators of small municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4’s.) Only small MS4 operators who develop and implement a stormwater management program (SWMP) and obtain permit coverage in accordance with the NYS DEC SPDES Permit for Stormwater Discharges are authorized to discharge stormwater from their storm sewer system.

The Town of Malta is considered a small MS4 and is currently covered under the state permit. The MS4 system is a combination of roads, open road ditches, pipes, structures and ponds. The town works to improve its compliance with permit requirements to continue to maintain its permit coverage. Your cooperation and participation is required in helping us meet these program goals. For a copy of the current MS4 permit, please visit the NYS DEC website:

Permits require the development of a program that satisfies the six minimum control measures (MCM) set forth in the program and described in the permit.

The Six Minimum Control Measures (MCM's) are defined as follows:
  1. Public Education and Outreach
  2. Public Involvement / Participation
  3. Illicit Discharge Detection / Elimination (IDDE)
  4. Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control
  5. Post-Construction Runoff Control
  6. Pollution Prevention / Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations
The Town's Stormwater Management Plan is available for download or can be reviewed at the Building and Planning Department.