Katana Engineering tells Nether Providence commissioners the township is close to meeting MS4 sediment targets
June 12, 2026 | Nether Providence, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
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Kristen, a representative from Katana Engineering, presented the township's MS4 obligations under its NPDES permit and walked commissioners through the pollution reduction plan (PRP) used to calculate required sediment reductions.
"The NPDES is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit. This is a federal requirement," Kristen said, explaining the five‑year permit cycle and the PRP's method of estimating sediment loads by watershed.
Kristen said the PRP requires a 10% reduction in sediment loads and described how BMPs (best management practices) are assigned effectiveness values. In the township's calculations, Dicks Run and Ridley Creek are roughly 80% of the way to their required reductions; Vernon Run is over the requirement; Crumb (Crump) Creek remains short of its target. She said other projects built in recent years—particularly stream‑bank restorations and park work—contributed a large share of the reduction.
The presenter told the board the current permit cycle ends March 1, 2026 and that the annual report is due the end of September; she said the state agency has not yet finalized guidance for the next permit cycle and that the next cycle will emphasize volume control rather than sediment mass. Kristen warned that while the township has made progress, many projects are expensive, and municipalities often rely on grants to implement high‑impact measures.
Commissioners noted surprise that the township's numbers were better than expected and discussed how stream‑bank restoration produced large sediment reductions compared with smaller projects like rain gardens. Board members asked whether overachievement in one watershed could be credited to another; Kristen said she would inquire with the state but had no definitive answer at the meeting.
The board asked staff to include the MS4 progress in the township's annual report submission and to keep commissioners updated about guidance for the next permit cycle.
"The NPDES is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit. This is a federal requirement," Kristen said, explaining the five‑year permit cycle and the PRP's method of estimating sediment loads by watershed.
Kristen said the PRP requires a 10% reduction in sediment loads and described how BMPs (best management practices) are assigned effectiveness values. In the township's calculations, Dicks Run and Ridley Creek are roughly 80% of the way to their required reductions; Vernon Run is over the requirement; Crumb (Crump) Creek remains short of its target. She said other projects built in recent years—particularly stream‑bank restorations and park work—contributed a large share of the reduction.
The presenter told the board the current permit cycle ends March 1, 2026 and that the annual report is due the end of September; she said the state agency has not yet finalized guidance for the next permit cycle and that the next cycle will emphasize volume control rather than sediment mass. Kristen warned that while the township has made progress, many projects are expensive, and municipalities often rely on grants to implement high‑impact measures.
Commissioners noted surprise that the township's numbers were better than expected and discussed how stream‑bank restoration produced large sediment reductions compared with smaller projects like rain gardens. Board members asked whether overachievement in one watershed could be credited to another; Kristen said she would inquire with the state but had no definitive answer at the meeting.
The board asked staff to include the MS4 progress in the township's annual report submission and to keep commissioners updated about guidance for the next permit cycle.
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