What is Stormwater?
Stormwater is water that originates during precipitation events. Stormwater that does not soak into the ground becomes surface runoff, which either flows directly into surface waterways or is channeled into storm sewers, which eventually discharge to surface waters.
Stormwater is of concern for two main issues: one related to the volume and timing of runoff water (flooding) and the other related to potential contaminants that the water is carrying, i.e. water pollution.
Stormwater pollution is our nation’s greatest threat to clean water. When it rains, stormwater flows over driveways, lawns, and sidewalks, and then into the stormdrains along the street.
Along the way, the stormwater picks up trash, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants. Storm drains discharge the polluted stormwater into our ponds, drain ditches and end up in the Arroyo Colorado and Laguna Madre. This contaminates the water we use for drinking, swimming, and fishing. This is called non-point source pollution.
Stormwater is also a resource and ever growing in importance as the world’s human population demand exceeds the availability of readily available water. Techniques of stormwater harvesting with point
source water management and purification can potentially make urban environments self-sustaining in terms of water.
The City Of Mission is required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to have a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Stormwater Permit which is submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The permit requires the City Of Mission to implement a Stormwater Management Plan, through this plan the City Of Mission has set Best Management Practices (BMP’s) developed for six Minimum Control Measures (MCM).
- Public Education and outreach
- Public involvement/participation
- Illicit discharge detection and elimination
- Construction site stormwater runoff control
- Post-construction stormwater runoff control
- Pollution prevention/good housekeeping measures for municipal operations
The best management practices (BMP’s) selected for the six minimum control measures (MCM’s) are key factors in the reduction of stormwater pollution.
For additional information on our City’s Stormwater Management Plan and our stormwater system, Please contact the City Of mission Public Works Department at (956) 580-8780.
Find out more on Stormwater and the environment.