What is stormwater?
When it rains, the water flows over our rooftops and over our yards, and everything else around us. As it travels it picks up pollutants like trash, oil, sediment, and pet waste along with anything else in its path.
Pavement and concrete don’t absorb water so it flows towards storm drain inlets in the curbs. Once the water enters the inlet it travels through pipes until it arrives at the nearest creek or waterway. The water is not cleaned along the way and everything it has picked up flows into the creek as well. The easiest way to keep the creeks clean is to remove the pollutants from the very beginning.
You can help!
• Don’t be a litterbug and never throw trash into a storm drain inlet or on the street.
• Remind grownups to never put paint, oil or grass clippings into a storm drain inlet.
•Leaving the grass clippings on the yard is actually good for the grass!
• Pick up after you pets when you take them on walks and in your own yard.
• Remind grownups not to fertilize your lawn if rain is expected in the forecast.
• Volunteer to install inlet markers.
Your family, scout troop or school club can volunteer to clean up around creeks or put storm drain inlet markers on the curbs in neighborhoods that remind people that stormwater drains to creeks. For more information please call (803) 283-0526 or e-mail us.