What is the problem with stormwater runoff?
Each time it rains, the resulting runoff of stormwater picks up debris, litter, pesticides, chemicals, motor oil and sediment as it flows across rooftops and lawns, streets, and parking lots. A common misconception is that water running off streets and into storm drains goes to a wastewater treatment plant. It does not. In fact, stormwater receives no treatment. Excessive contamination of runoff can cause sedimentation and erosion of our streams, water quality degradation, and unhealthy water conditions for humans and wildlife. To learn more about runoff, visit the Cleanstream.org website. What kind of drainage system does the city have? The city’s storm water system is called a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). This means that the city’s storm sewer system is completely separate from the sanitary sewer system. The city’s sanitary sewage flows to a wastewater treatment plant, while stormwater drains untreated directly into local surface waters. A variety of structures and la
