Residents

As stormwater flows over driveways, roads, parking lots, sidewalks and landscape, it picks up debris, chemicals, dirt and other pollutants. Stormwater can flow into a storm sewer system or directly to a lake, stream, river, wetland or coastal water.  Anything that enters a storm sewer system is discharged untreated into the water bodies we use for swimming, fishing and providing drinking water.

By following Best Management Practices (BMPs) described in our Residents, Business and Development webpages you can keep pollutants off the ground and out of stormwater and our local waterways. Common pollutants include: trash, sediment (from erosion and construction sites, for example), landscape runoff containing fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, pet waste, construction debris, leaves and grass clippings, motor oil, antifreeze and paint products that people spill onto the ground or pour into a storm drain. Adopt these BMPs and help protect lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands and coastal waters. Remember to share these BMPs with your neighbors!