Stormwater Program and Storm Drainage & Flood Risk Mitigation Utility

Rainwater either seeps into the ground or “runs off” to lower areas, making its way into streams, lakes and other water bodies. On its way, runoff water can pick up and carry many substances that pollute water.

Some pollutants - like pesticides, fertilizers, oil and soap – are harmful in any quantity. Other pollutants – like sediment from construction, bare soil, agricultural land, pet waste, grass clippings and leaves – can harm creeks, rivers and lakes in sufficient quantities.

In addition to rainwater, various human activities like lawn watering, car washing, and malfunctioning septic tanks can also put pollutants onto the land. When it rains, those pollutants get carried away to creeks, rivers and lakes.

Polluted runoff generally happens anywhere people use or alter the land. For example, in developed areas, none of the water that falls on hard surfaces like roofs, driveways, parking lots or roads can seep into the ground. These impervious surfaces create large amounts of runoff that picks up pollutants. The runoff flows from gutters and storm drains to streams. Runoff not only pollutes our waterways but also erodes streambanks. The mix of pollution and eroded dirt muddies the water and causes problems downstream.

Stormwater management seeks to reduce pollution as well as the impacts that stormwater runoff has on our waterways - whether it's from a flood or from hosing off your driveway, rainwater picks up pollutants and eventually those pollutants drain into rivers, streams and oceans. It comes as no surprise that stormwater runoff is the number one cause of stream impairment in urban areas.

The federal Clean Water Act requires large and medium sized towns across the United States to take steps to reduce polluted stormwater runoff. The law was applied in two phases. The first phase addressed large cities. The second phase, often referred to as ”Phase II,” requires medium and small cities, fast growing cities and those located near sensitive waters to take steps to minimize the discharge of pollutants in stormwater.

These laws require certain cities to do the following:

1. Conduct public education, outreach and involvement about polluted stormwater runoff;
2. Detect illicit discharges (e.g. straight piping or dumping);
3. Control construction site runoff;
4. Control post-construction runoff; and
5. Perform municipal housekeeping (e.g. take steps to prevent runoff from city buildings and activities).