Pennsauken hears update on watershed improvement plan as township completes asset inventory

John Doyle, who led the township’s Watershed Improvement Plan effort, told the Pennsauken Township Committee that Phase 1 of the required MS4 (municipal separate storm sewer system) WIP is complete and produced an inventory of the township’s stormwater assets.

"An efficient and effective stormwater system controls flooding, addresses pollution, and efficiently conveys runoff to water bodies in the township," Doyle said, describing the system as inlets, pipes, basins and other assets that now have been cataloged. He said the inventory—completed in 2025 with assistance from consulting engineers and surveyors—identified “thousands” of assets and will be used to guide subsequent analysis.

Doyle said Phases 2 and 3 of the WIP will analyze the system to identify specific problems such as flooding, erosion and pollution, and will recommend actions to address them. The WIP is required by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for municipalities that discharge stormwater to state waterways under the MS4 permit, he said.

Doyle invited committee and resident input as staff and consultants move into the next phases. "Future information and collaboration sessions will be held that are dedicated to this topic," he said, and provided contact instructions for residents who wish to follow up by phone or email.

The presentation emphasized that the WIP is a planning and compliance document: Phase 1 provided the asset inventory; later phases will set priorities and recommend capital or operational responses. No formal votes or funding decisions were made at the meeting; Doyle described the update as informational and encouraged participation in upcoming community sessions.