What is Polluted Stormwater Runoff?
When snow melts or it rains, water runs over roads, parking lots, sidewalks and lawns, removing oils and grease, sand and salt, tiny metal and soil particles, and fertilizers. This stormwater runoff and the pollutants it contains then flow directly into storm drainage systems. From there, it’s carried without treatment into our streams, ponds, rivers and reservoirs. If we want to continue making progress, more effort is needed to control polluted stormwater runoff, such as by fixing any oil and other fluid leaks on our cars, reducing the amount of fertilizers we use, and washing our cars at commercial car washes where the water is recycled and/or filtered. And remember, don’t dump! Only rainwater should go down a storm drain, not used motor oil or pet waste. Clean water bodies are important to all of us! You don’t have to live near a stream or lake to affect their water quality. For example, spilled oil may eventually find its way there no matter where it’s spilled. The environmental i
