Stormwater

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Stormwater

What is Stormwater?

Stormwater pollution can impact our surface waters which directly impacts the source of our drinking water. Water is a staple in our daily lives. We use it for drinking, washing, our clothes, showering, watering our lawns and more. As pollution continues to impact drinking water supplies, there will be continued efforts to test and treat contaminates leading to increasing prices for clean and safe drinking water.

See our Stormwater Management Plan
Read National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System's (NPDES) latest newsletter with helpful information

What can pollute Stormwater?

There are several different ways to pollute stormwater, industrial, residential, institutional and commercial can produce an illicit discharge

Industrial – Land uses that are involved in manufacturing, production or transportation including construction activities. Waste generated at an industrial site, when exposed to rain or outdoor watering, can wash into river, streams and lakes.

Residential – Residential areas and neighborhoods can significantly impact rivers, lakes and streams due to polluted stormwater runoff. Improper disposal of yard clippings, fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides can lead to the exposure of excessive nutrients can discharge into receiving waters (lakes, rivers, streams, and creeks). Washing your vehicle in the driveway or street allows a perfect opportunity for the soapy water and other cleaning chemicals to make their way down the street into a storm drain and the nearest stream. The household hazardous wastes in and around your home can affect your family and pets and can be toxic to fish and wildlife. A simple solution to water pollution is picking up after your dog. When it rains, your pet’s waste is washed down into the street and storm drain contaminating our rivers, lakes and streams with unhealthy levels of bacteria.

Institutional – Institution such as schools, universities, hospitals, churches and government facilities can cause water pollution in the same way that a businesses and environment and if disposed of or managed properly can cause adverse effects on the environment.

Commercial – Involves businesses that are retail-oriented or perform service for customers. Examples include auto service shops, gas stations, restaurants, and lawn care services. Motor oils, antifreeze, oil filters and cleaners can be potentially harmful to the environment if not recycled.

How Stormwater is Carried to Surface Waters?

Stormwater runoff may be carried through natural or manmade drainage ways or conveyance systems. In some cases, stormwater runoff leaves a site spread out over a large dispersed area as “sheet flow.” It may also be conveyed through natural ditches, swales and natural drainage features. In most developing and urbanizing areas, stormwater is conveyed through a system of catch basins and pipes commonly referred to as a storm sewer system.

What is considered impervious?

Impervious surfaces are those areas that prevent rainfall from infiltrating into the ground. Examples of typical impervious surfaces fount on most properties include rooftops, driveways, sidewalks, patios, parking lots, storage sheds, etc.

What is an illicit discharge?

An illicit discharge is any discharge into a stormwater conveyance system that is not composed entirely of stormwater. An illicit discharge could be the result of someone dumping a pollutant (automobile fluids, paint, wastewater, etc.) into the conveyance system; the result of an illicit connection into the conveyance system, such as a sewer pipe connected to the stormwater conveyance system; or a pipe that bypasses the sanitary connection or septic drain field producing a direct discharge into stormwater systems, lakes or streams. What is an illicit connection to a stormwater conveyance system? An illicit connection is an improper physical connection of illicit discharges to the stormwater conveyance system. Examples include: a sewer pipe that is connected to the stormwater conveyance system that produces a continuous discharge of raw sewage to the conveyance system; a shop floor drain that is connected to the stormwater conveyance system producing a discharge of wastewater or other inappropriate flows into the storm sewer system. What are the hazards associated with Illicit discharges? Illicit discharges can contribute high levels of pollutants to waterbodies. Pollutants commonly found in illicit discharges include raw sewage (viruses and bacteria), heavy metals, toxics, oil and grease, solvents, and nutrients. Pollutant levels from illicit discharges have been shown in EPA studies to be high enough to significantly degrade water quality, close beaches, and threaten aquatic, wildlife and human health. Illicit discharges are a problem because, unlike wastewater that flows through a sanitary sewer pipe to a wastewater treatment plant, stormwater flows to waterways without any additional treatment

What’s being done to combat illicit discharges in my community?

Many communities that operate municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) are required to develop programs to detect and eliminate illicit discharges. This includes mapping catch basins and other MS4 components, adopting an enforceable ordinance that prohibits illicit discharges, developing a plan to detect and address illicit discharges, and conducting an education program on the hazards associated with illicit discharges. An effective program needs to be both reactive (address spills and other illicit discharges that are found), and proactive (prevent illicit discharges through education and training).

What can I do?

Practice good housekeeping - inside and out! Never dump any wastewater, chemicals, or trash on the ground or into a storm drain. Keep debris from clogging your storm drains. This includes yard waste and leaf piles. If you have a pool, make sure to de-chlorinate the water before draining it for the winter, and direct the drainage to a grassy area—not a paved surface or storm drain. If you wash your car at home, do so only on a grassed area, otherwise, the soap and dirt you wash from your car will enter into nearby lakes and streams via the closest storm drain. Illicit discharges can occur anywhere; along a back-property line, along a streambank, in a wooded area, in a parking lot, or on a driveway. An illicit discharge does not have to be in liquid form. The introduction of any type of debris or anything other than stormwater runoff into a storm drain qualifies as an illicit discharge and can create pollution, block drainage, and contribute to flooding. Runoff from fire-fighting activities does not qualify as an illicit discharge and is exempt.