Announcing Stormwater Management Guidance Manual v 3.3! 

Coming later this summer (Target Date: June 30, 2023): New updates to Philadelphia’s Stormwater Management Guidance Manual!

As you may be aware, the Manual serves as the design guide for the installation of stormwater management practices (SMPs) through the PWD Stormwater Regulations and Grants Program. Manual v 3.3 will follow the same format as Manual v 3.2. No changes to PWD Stormwater Regulations are proposed with this Manual update. Instead, with our soon-to-be released Manual updates, users can expect:

  • New climate-change adaptation considerations
  • Streamlined Channel Protection and Flood Control requirements for regulated projects that directly discharge to the Schuylkill River and its tributaries
  • Option to utilize Dynamic Design in the sizing of bioinfiltration SMPs
  • Addition of new PWD Design Storm rainfall distribution requirement for Water Quality compliance analysis
  • Enhanced landscape guidance, including new Manual Section 4.13 and new Appendix Section F.19
  • Clarifications of the Inspection and Enforcement processes
  • Continued refinement of SMP Design and Material Standards and Standard Details
  • Explicit Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Agreement and SMP Maintenance Guide requirements
  • Expanded guidance around demolition and construction activities

Additionally, along with the introduction of the Manual’s revised sections, the document itself will have a new home within PWD’s steadily expanding Development Services website (link directly below). Meanwhile, our Plan Review submittal site and Project Dashboard will continue to reside at planreview.org.

So, mark your calendars for June 30th — Improvements are on the horizon!

Reminder! Updated UPR Checklist

The Development Services Unit would like to remind applicants about its updated Utility Plan Review (UPR) Checklist, introduced March 8, 2023.

Applicants should ensure they provide the following on their Utility Plan submissions:

  • UPR Tracking #
  • The size of the water/sewer system the utility will connect to (in the List of Utility Connections)

These requirements and all other updates can be found in the revised Utility Plan Checklist (link directly below).