Drain Department

What We Do:

How the Drainage System Works

The Town of Marblehead has a stormwater system or drainage system that collects stormwater runoff through a series of catch basins (street grates). From these catch basins, the drainage system flows untreated through an underground pipe network and leads to outfalls discharging into the ocean. This is system is known as a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4).

Drain maintenance and construction is funded through the Town’s Department of Public Works budget and Town Meeting Warrant Articles.

This MS4 system and the stormwater that enters it is regulated under the Clean Water Act, specifically the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).  The Town’s NPDES MS4 permit is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection since 2003. In additional to ongoing system maintenance activities, the Town incorporates public education and participation into our annual operations, a component of this permit.

Contact Information:

Click on the drop-down "View Contact Info" above for hours of operation, phone numbers, and address.

E-mail the Drain Department.