Northampton Borough Council will hold a special meeting 6:30 p.m. Aug. 17 to address ways to cut back on pollutants that find their way into the Hokendauqua Creek and, ultimately, the Lehigh River.

The public is invited to attend the session, which will precede the 7:30 p.m. regular council meeting at the municipal building, 1401 Laubach Ave. Talk at the special meeting will center on plans called for by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to curb pollutants, whether they come from streets, car washes, construction sites or other means, from entering streams. The DEP requirements stem from federal guidelines.

Michael Schwartz, of Gilmore & Associates, who has been assisting the borough for the past two years in coming up with a plan, has requested the special meeting, also a DEP requirement.

Pollutants that must be reduced include metals, suspended solids and other materials set forth by DEP’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System program, referred to as MS4.

Northampton certainly is not alone regarding the program to reduce pollutants entering streams; it affects every municipality.

One method to reduce pollutants by 5 to 10 percent from entering streams is the planting of trees as a buffer along banks of creeks and rivers.

Schwartz said the borough should not be alarmed, mentioning, “Relatively speaking, the borough is in good compliance with the (DEP) permit.”