Let’s do our part – only water down the storm drain 

As the weather warms and we begin spending more time outside watering our lawns or washing our cars and driveways, it's important to consider how these actions can affect our storm drains. Storm drains are crucial to prevent flooding in our city by collecting and conveying stormwater out of the roadways and into waterways. Unlike sewers, water that enters storm drains is untreated before entering natural waterways. To protect our environment, it's essential to ensure that only rainwater goes down the storm drains.

Here are a few ways we can do our part to reduce pollution and run off:

• Use Fertilizer Responsibly: Apply only the recommended amount of fertilizer to your lawn. Over-fertilizing, especially before rain or excessive watering, can lead to runoff that carries chemicals into storm drains and, eventually, our waterways.
• Skip the Hose on Driveways: Cleaning driveways with a hose sends water with oils, chemicals, and debris into storm drains. Instead, try sweeping or using a blower to keep your driveway clean without contributing to pollution.
• Choose Eco-Friendly Car Washing: Consider taking your dirty cars to a car wash that utilizes recycled water. This ensures the soaps and chemicals needed to make sure your car looks nice and shiny are collected properly and don’t enter the storm drain. Washing your car at home—especially on a driveway—allows soap, oil, and grime to flow into storm drains, leading to pollution entering the storm drains.