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Storm Water Systems

How Can Residents Help Protect our Stormwater Systems

The well-known stories about environmental problems tend to focus on big, recognizable targets such as smoking industrial facilities, leaking toxic waste dumps, and messy oil spills. As a result, people often forget about water pollution caused by smaller nonpoint sources--especially pollution at the household level. However, nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is the Nation's leading source of water quality degradation. Although individual homes might contribute only minor amounts of NPS pollution, the combined effect of an entire neighborhood can be serious. These include eutrophication, sedimentation, and contamination with unwanted pollutants.

To prevent and control NPS pollution, households can learn about the causes of such pollution and take the appropriate (and often money-saving) steps to limit runoff and make sure it runs off clean. You can be a good steward of the environment and assist in preventing stormwater pollution by implementing some of the following Best Management Practices (BMP) at your home:

Car Washing
Household Hazardous Wastes
Lawn & Landscape Practices
Limit Paved Surfaces
Oil Changes and Auto Maintenance
Paints and Solvents
Pool Chemicals and Maintenance

Car Washing

City, county, and state governments know that car washing has always been a favorite fundraiser for sports teams, scout troops, schools and other non-profit groups. Due to the low capital investment costs, car wash fundraisers can generate significant amounts of profit. For the last ten years government agencies have been working with industry to come up with solutions to clean up our water. Today the waterways of America are significantly cleaner than they were in the past even though many regions are more heavily populated.

The City of Altamonte Springs suggests that you follow some of the following Best Management Practices (BMP) for carwash fundraisers or for washing your car at home. Your goal should be not to let any water containing soap to enter any storm drain.

BMP #1:                Block off the storm drain. Try to wash the cars at the highest point, hopefully a flat surface area.
BMP #2:                Select a site where the cars can be driven onto grass or gravel before washing. This way soapy water can filter through vegetation and soil before entering ground water or running off into the drainage ditch or storm drain.
BMP #3:                Block off the storm drains and pump left over waste water onto the grass or into the planters thereby watering the landscaping. Let most of the water evaporate before pumping so you don’t overflow the planters.
BMP #4:                Pick a location where water runs off into a field or landscape directly after the pavement ends.

Household Hazardous Wastes

Many of the cleaning and convenience products used around the house and garage are toxic to the environment when improperly disposed. Please do not pour household chemicals down the sink, toilet, trashcan, or rinse them down the driveway into the stormdrain. These methods threaten the environment, create safety hazards, and pollute the stormwater system.

BMP for Household Hazardous Wastes:

Buy non-toxic alternatives instead of traditional household chemicals.
Buy only the amount needed, not a large container just because it is on sale.
Use all of the chemical, don't let it get old and unusable. If you can't use it, give it to someone else who can.
Handle, store, and use all household products safely.
Avoid spillage and leaking containers.
Safely store all unwanted household hazardous wastes and dispose of them at the next Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day event.
As long as you are going to the collection event anyway, volunteer to take your neighbor's waste products too.

Lawn & Landscape Practices

Pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers are the most difficult category of stormwater pollutant. They are carried to the storm sewer system and our lakes in the runoff from rainfall. They are toxic to fish as well as to the humans who eat the fish. Whether you do the yard work yourself or hire a landscaper, keep these products out of the stormwater system.

BMP for Lawn Products:

Follow label instructions precisely.
When applying these products, remember the motto "More is NOT better". Excess product will not be absorbed into the soil; it will be carried off into the stormwater system when it rains.
Don't over-water your lawn. Excess product can be carried into the street from the sprinkler system.
Do some research. Use non-toxic alternative products to control weeds and add nutrients to your lawn.

BMP for Pesticides/Insecticides/Fungicides:

Follow label instructions precisely.
If you apply the product yourself, use the least toxic, safest, and most environmentally friendly product available.
Use only the amount and concentration needed for the job.
Ask your pest-control company to use the least toxic, safest and most environmentally friendly product available.
Try to find and use a non-toxic alternative to control pests and insects.

Xeriscaping:
Altering the natural contours of yards during landscaping and planting with non-native plants that need fertilizer and extra water can increase the potential for higher runoff volumes, increase erosion, and introduce chemicals into the path of runoff. In contrast, xeriscaping provides households with a framework that can dramatically reduce the potential for NPS pollution.
Xeriscape incorporates many environmental factors into landscape design--soil type, use of native plants, practical turf areas, proper irrigation, mulches, and appropriate maintenance schedules. By using native plants that are well-suited to a regions climate and pests, xeriscape drastically reduces the need for irrigation and chemical applications. Less irrigation results in less runoff, while less chemical application keeps runoff clean.

Limit Paved Surfaces

Urban and suburban landscapes are covered by paved surfaces like sidewalks, parking lots, roads, and driveways. They prevent water from percolating down into the ground, cause runoff to accumulate, and funnel into storm drains at high speeds. When quickly flowing runoff empties into receiving waters, it can severely erode streambanks. Paved surfaces also transfer heat to runoff, thereby increasing the temperature of receiving waters. Native species of fish and other aquatic life cannot survive in these warmer waters.
To limit NPS pollution from paved surfaces households can substitute alternatives to areas traditionally covered by nonporous surfaces. Grasses and natural ground cover, for example, can be attractive and practical substitutes for asphalt driveways, walkways, and patios. Some homes effectively incorporate a system of natural grasses, trees, and mulch to limit continuous impervious surface area. Wooden decks, gravel or brick paths, and rock gardens keep the natural ground cover intact and allow rainwater to slowly seep into the ground.

Oil Changes and Auto Maintenance

Keeping your vehicles in good repair helps prevent exhaust emissions from harming our air and it can prevent automotive fluids from leaking onto the streets. When it rains, stormwater flows over the streets and pick up any automotive fluids that have leaked or dripped onto the surface. The stormwater runoff then enters our storm drains, the rivers beneath our feet, and the many small oil leaks and spills add up to a significant problem.

Oil/ Fluid Changes:
If you change your own motor oil and other automotive fluids, clean up every accidental spill. Any fluid left on the pavement will get washed down our driveways and streets, and the next time it rains, end up in our stormwater system.

BMP for used motor oil and automotive fluids:

Use a drip pan when changing motor oil and all other automotive fluids.
If your vehicle leaks any fluid, put a towel under it when parked.
Fix leaks as soon as possible.
Use commercial products designed to absorb automotive fluids or use old towels, kitty litter or sand.
Sweep up used absorbent materials immediately.
Never hose off the driveway or street with water to "clean up" a spill or leak.
Use a broom and sweep regularly.
Take all contaminated towels and absorbents to the next Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day event.
Take all used oil to a used oil recycling facility. Many auto parts stores offer oil recycling services.
Save used oil and other used automotive fluids and dispose of them at the next Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day event.
All major vehicle maintenance and repair should be performed at a licensed and environmentally responsible auto repair facility.

Paints and Solvents

Clean paint brushes and rollers by rinsing them in water or solvent in a container. Do not pour the rinse water or solvent into the gutter or stormdrain. There is an erroneous assumption that once the liquid dries in the gutter, the paint or solvent won't go anywhere. The reality is that the next time it rains, runoff will carry these pollutants into the storm sewer system.

Paint:
Water-based paints are safer to the environment than oil-based paints, but all paint should be kept out of the stormwater system. There are coloration pigments in some paints that contain heavy metals. These metals can be very toxic to water supplies and aquatic life.

BMP for paint:

Use water-based paint wherever possible.
Dispose of all old paint only at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day events. Never dump it down the gutter or the stormdrain.
Purchase only the amount of paint needed for the job.
Store paint safely. Prevent spills and leaks.

BMP for solvents:

Use minimal amounts of water or solvent to clean brushes and rollers.
Reuse cleaning solvents and water.
Store cleaning solvents and water safely. Prevent spills and leaks.
Dispose of all cleaning solvents and rinse water only at a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day event.
Purchase only the amount of solvent needed for the job.

Pool Chemicals and Maintenance

Although it is perfectly safe to swim in our pools when pool chemicals are used properly, that same pool water in our stormwater system can become hazardous for aquatic life and the environment.

Pool Chemicals:
Chlorine, acid, algaecides, and other pool chemicals should be handled, stored, used, and disposed of properly. Even the empty containers need proper cleaning before disposal.

BMP for Pool Chemicals:

Follow label instruction precisely.
Purchase only the amount of chemical needed to do the job at this time.
Dispose of old or unwanted chemicals only at a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day event.
Rinse all pool chemical containers three times and pour the rinse water back into the pool.

Pool Maintenance:
The most common maintenance activity is routine pool backwashing. Even though the pool water is perfectly safe for swimming, backwash water can become a pollutant for the stormwater system. Acid washing of pool plaster can have even more devastating effects on the stormwater system.

BMP for Pool Maintenance:

Backwash water from the pool should drain into the lawn or landscaped areas of your property.
Never allow backwash from the pool to leave your property, because it could cause a safety hazard on City streets.
All waste products from acid washing pool plaster and other periodic pool maintenance activities should be placed in appropriate containers and be legally disposed of by the contractor doing the work or the homeowner at the next Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day event.