What are Storm Drains?
Storm drains are specialized drainage systems which are designed to handle an excess of water as a result of flooding or heavy rainfall. They are frequently found in major cities, especially in flood prone areas. A number of systems are used for the collection and ultimate discharge of water from storm drains, and if there are storm drains in your area, it may be interesting for you to learn about how the water is processed before it is discharged. When rainfall is heavy, the streets, parking lots, and other flat areas of a town can flood. In addition to the water falling directly on these surfaces, gutters also discharge large amounts of water into the street. The flooding can pose a hazard, which is why storm strains are installed. The storm drains are frequently located on either side of a street, at a low point in the roadway where water would naturally collect. Typically, a large grate covers the storm drain, which takes the form of a giant pipe. In some parts of the world, storm
Storm drains carry rainwater and surface runoff to the Bay. Along the way the water picks up oil, grease, metal shavings and other pollutants from buildings, road surfaces, vehicles and equipment. These pollutants drain directly into local creeks and the Bay without any filtering or treatment. Indoor drains (such as sinks, toilets and floor drains) are not a threat to the Bay because the water is filtered and treated before being discharged. The Metal-Rain Connection A potential source of runoff pollution is metal, such as metal shavings, electrical wire, nails, bolts and screws. Activities that create small metal pieces include sawing, grinding, welding and cutting metal material. Left on the ground, metal trash not only looks messy; when combined with rain, it can flow into storm drains. Those metal pieces can eventually make their way unfiltered into Bay Area creeks and waterways. Metals Impact on the Environment Even small pieces of metal can have an impact, especially in a sensiti
