Stormwater Management
Don’t Dump Anything Other Than Water Into Storm Sewer Grates or Onto Roads!
- Only rain in the drain! The water that enters the storm sewer grates does not get treated! This water flows directly into creeks and streams. If you dump oil, antifreeze, paint, paint thinner, pesticides, fertilizer, chlorinated pool water, etc. into the storm sewer or onto the road it will end up poisoning the creeks and streams.
Don’t Put Pet Waste in the Storm Sewer Grates!
- We have ongoing problems with people putting pet waste into storm grates. The bacteria in the pet waste pollutes the creeks and streams. The plastic bags pet owners use to collect and dispose of the waste clogs the storm sewers causing flooding and requiring expensive repairs.
- Pet waste should be placed in the garbage, flushed in the toilet, or buried in the yard.
Don’t Cause Pollution by Improperly Draining Your Pool (or Hot Tub)!
- Wait a few days after you last add chlorine before you drain the pool, the chlorine will dissipate over a few days. Check the chlorine level before you drain to make sure it is gone.
- Add a dechlorinator like sodium thiosulfate to the pool to eliminate the chlorine, this is available at pool stores.
- Check the pH of the water before draining. The pH should be close to 7, which is neutral. If the pH differs, adjust the chemicals and retest until the pH is acceptable. Use your pool water testing kit to check the pH.
- Don’t just drain onto a driveway or street. Ideally, let the water drain across the lawn or other vegetated areas for as long a distance as possible before it gets to the road or storm sewer. This filters the water and allows some of it to soak into the ground. If you have dechlorinated and checked the pH your lawn will love this deep watering.
Don’t Dirty the Water by Washing Your Car!
- Obviously car wash water includes nasty pollutants like soap, road salt, oil, dirt, antifreeze, etc. which you would not want to flow into creeks and streams where it can kill fish, insects, frogs, and other aquatic life.
- Ideally wash your car at a commercial car wash. The dirty water at car washes goes to a treatment plant where it is properly treated at Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) before being returned to the Ohio River.
- If you wash your car at home, try to wash it on the lawn where the water can be absorbed or filtered instead of flowing into the storm sewer or onto a road. In many cases, the driveway is acceptable as well if the water from the driveway flows onto the lawn. If you cringe at this water flowing onto your lawn think about it going into streams!
Don’t Let Your Car, Truck, Boat, or Motorcycle Cause Water Pollution!
- Don’t let your car leak fluids. One drop of used motor oil can contaminate a million drops of water. One quart of oil will contaminate 250,000 gallons of water or create an oil slick 2 acres in size. Allowing your car to leak oils, antifreeze, etc. creates a traveling water pollution machine, fix those leaks!
- Perform your own oil changes, brake jobs, or other maintenance in a garage or other sheltered location where drips, leaks, spills, etc. cannot be washed away by rain. A recent study found that backyard mechanics in Michigan alone create more oil pollution than the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska.
Don’t Make Your Lawn Green at the Expense of the Environment!
- Avoid using herbicides (weed killers) and fertilizers if you can. Simply mowing your lawn at a taller height can result in deeper, stronger roots, greener more drought resistance blades, and can crowd out weeds.
- If you must use herbicides and fertilizers look into less harmful natural options such as corn gluten which is a natural, non-toxic weed suppressor and slow-release fertilizer.
- Get a soil test! Penn State will test your soil for $9. The same scientists that farmers rely on to manage their fields will provide you a custom detailed report that will tell you what fertilizer to buy and how much to use (i.e. apply 1.75lbs per 100 square feet of 10-10-10 once in fall and once in spring). This will save you money, provide better results, and protect the environment.
- If you feel you must use them apply herbicides and fertilizer in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Apply the proper amount at the proper time to save yourself money, get the best result, and save the environment.
- Don’t apply these chemicals when the ground is frozen or before rains are forecasted.
- Be careful or use a spreader with “edgeguard” to avoid spreading herbicides or fertilizer on sidewalks, streets, or driveways adjacent to lawn areas where the chemicals will get washed into the storm sewers.
- Do not blow leaves or lawn clippings onto the road where they will be washed into the storm sewers and ultimately to the creeks and streams. This organic material depletes oxygen in the water and can cause algae blooms that harm fish and other organisms.