Have you ever wondered where all the water goes after a heavy rain? Water generally doesn’t have any problems soaking into porous ground surfaces, like soil. However, impervious surfaces like driveways, paved roads, sidewalks, and streets prevent the ground from soaking in the water. And with urban sprawl, the amount of asphalt and concrete is rapidly replacing fields and pasture land.Dangers of Stormwater Runoff
When it is raining, the water that passes through the streets can carry with it dirt, debris, bacteria, chemicals from pesticides and fertilizers, highway runoff, and other potentially dangerous pollutants. This water gets carried into a storm sewer system or dumps right into lakes, streams, wetlands or oceans. The problem grows when we consider that water that enters a storm sewer system is released into the eco system untreated.
The pollutants are only part of the problem from stormwater. The other part is the volume and force that can be generated when the water has no where to be absorbed. The currents can cause immense soil erosion.
This water, along with all the bad elements it carries, eventually flows towards rivers, streams, and oceans. The contaminants, as well as the soil, pollute the waters and degrade the habit of fish and other aquatic life. The EPA estimates that stormwater runoff is responsible for over 20% of polluted lakes and 45% of polluted estuaries, more than any other source of impairment.
How to Help in Managing the Stormwater Runoff
While you may not be able to prevent stormwater runoff, there are various ways that you can help manage its pollution. At home, be careful when disposing of household products like pesticides, insecticides, solvents or paint. Avoid pouring them onto the ground or down storm drains. Limit the use of fertilizers or whenever possible, use natural fertilizers like compost. Make sure that your septic system does not leak. When you wash your car, use a commercial car wash that recycles the wastewater or wash it in the yard to allow the soil to absorb the water. And pick up after your pet. Not only will you make your neighbors happy, you will also prevent harmful bacteria from making its way into our local bodies of water.
