Stormwater

Restoring Rain’s Reputation:
What Everyone Can Do To Help

Rain by nature is important for replenishing drinking water supplies, recreation, and healthy wildlife habitats. It only becomes a problem when pollutants from our activities like car maintenance, lawn care, and dog walking are left on the ground for rain to wash away.

Here are some of the most important ways to prevent storm water pollution:

• Properly dispose of hazardous substances such as used oil, cleaning supplies and paint - neverpour them down any part of the storm sewer system and report anyone who does.
• Use pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides properly and efficiently to prevent excess runoff.
• Look for signs of soil and other pollutants, such as debris and chemicals, leaving construction sites in storm water runoff or tracked into roads by construction vehicles. Report poorly managed construction sites that could impact storm water runoff to your community.
• Install innovative storm water practices on residential property, such as rain barrels or rain gardens, that capture storm water and keep it on site instead of letting it drain away into the storm sewer system.
• Report any discharges from storm water outfalls during times of dry weather - a sign that there could be a problem with the storm sewer system.
• Pick up after pets and dispose of their waste properly. No matter where pets make a mess - in a backyard or at the park- storm water runoff can carry pet waste from the land to the storm sewer system to a stream.
• Store materials that could pollute storm water indoors and use containers for outdoor storage that do not rust or leak to eliminate exposure of materials to storm water.

The above article is an excerpt from the PA Dep brochure "When It Rains, It Drains" - Understanding Storm Water and How It Can Affect Your Money, Safety, Health, and the Environment.

For more information please click HERE.