The price tag for MS4 compliance in Salisbury Township is expected to be $25,000.

Salisbury officials have selected the township's consulting engineering firm to set up the MS4 program.

The board of commissioners authorized David J. Tettemer, of Keystone Consulting Engineers, Inc., to spearhead township compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency MS4 mandate.

"I think we have a consensus of the board that we want to go with David's [Tettemer] program," Commissioners' President James A. Brown said after a one-hour workshop discussion including all five township commissioners following the regular March 26 meeting.

"Right now, we would be the MS4 coordinator, temporarily," Tettemer said. "The biggest cost is setting it up. Once it's set up, I don't think it's going to cost that much."

"We have all agreed to do this," Brown reiterated.

A Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) is composed of drainage systems, including streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels and storm pipes owned by a municipality.

As part of the federal Clean Water Act, a municipality is required to have an MS4 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit to cover stormwater discharges and to maintain compliance with the permit.

Salisbury, along with other Lehigh Valley municipalities, received notice June 25, 2014, to provide EPA with evidence of MS4 compliance.

The EPA could impose daily fines of $35,000 for municipalities in noncompliance.

The MS4 reporting program was to be in effect April 1. Commissioner Vice President Debra Brinton asked Tettemer about the importance of the EPA deadline.

"I just want to know how long this can go without being fined," Brinton asked.

"The EPA is not looking to fine you," Tettemer said. "You have to make an effort to get fined. People [municipal officials] have said they're not doing it and they will get fined.

"You don't have to have everything done now," Tettemer said. "They [the EPA] want to know that you're committed to doing this and in the process of preparing that."

"The first thing we will do is develop a system map," Salisbury Township Manager Randy Soriano said.

The $25,000 cost includes $17,500 for Keystone to map the township's stormwater sewer system and $7,500 for Keystone to oversee the project for six months.

"At the end of six months, everything should be set up and running," Tettemer said, adding, "That is the job of an MS4 coordinator.

"It's intended to get this up and running," Tettemer said of Keystone's MS4 database setup, "and at that point the township can take it over."

"At the end of six months, we could determine if we can do it full-time or have an MS4 coordinator," Brinton said.

"We don't have a database set up for Salisbury. Seventy-five percent of this [MS4 compliance] is going to be data input," Tettemer said.

The MS4 program has six components, designated "Minimum Control Measures," that when implemented are said to reduce pollutants discharged into receiving waters.

Tettemer said he would go over the MS4 duties, which included public education and participation with the township Environmental Advisory Council.

"The EAC is not to oversee this [MS4] program," Soriano emphasized, "but to be partners.

"Part of your [EAC] Earth Day program would include MS4 education," Soriano added.

"In essence, it's not a hard program," Tettemer said. "It just needs the time to put it together.

"When somebody comes out to audit us, we will pretty much have everything in the proper categories," Tettemer continued.

"What the EPA is looking for is yearly inspections, which are somewhat seasonal," Tettemer said.

"I'm sure we're [township public works] going to be involved with the inspection process," Salisbury Township Director of Public Works John Andreas said.

"Somebody's going to make sure that the public works employees have the proper training," Tettemer said.

"John's [Andreas] employees pretty much must document everything they do," Tettemer emphasized.

In his report to commissioners on MS4 compliance, Soriano said MS4 compliance dates to 2003, required for the township to obtain an NPDES permit. The last renewal date was January 2014.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources is the "clearing house" for the EPA mandate, Soriano said. The MS4 requirements must be met for renewal of the NPDES.

"They're [EPA] telling you what you must do. And you've got to set up measurable goals," Soriano said.

Soriano's report on MS4 compliance was requested at the March 12 township meeting by Commissioner Joanne Ackerman, the commissioners' representative to the EAC.