DIY: Protecting Water Quality in Your Community

There are lots of things we can do to preserve our precious water resources. Reducing stormwater pollution in our neighborhoods is something everyone can take part in. Storm drain cleaning is a great place to start!

DIY Storm Drain Cleaning

Urbanization has fundamentally altered the way that water moves through the landscape. Stormwater that doesn’t soak into the ground runs along streets and parking lots and picks up pollutants. Much of the pollution in our nation’s waterways comes from everyday materials like fertilizers, pesticides, motor oil, and household chemicals. Rainwater washes these substances from streets, yards and driveways into storm drains.

It’s a common misconception that storm drains lead to wastewater treatment plants. In actuality, storm drains rarely lead to treatment plants and instead stormwater systems carry untreated water directly to the nearest waterway. This polluted runoff can have negative impacts on water quality, overstimulate algal growth (both toxic and non-toxic), harm aquatic species and wildlife, and cause trash and debris to enter our lakes, streams, rivers and oceans.

We can all do our part to improve and preserve water resources in our community and beyond!

Keeping neighborhood storm drains cleaned is one simple step. Removing debris that collects in nearby stormwater catch basins, storm drains and along curbs promotes cleaner runoff, reduces the potential for flooding, and decreases the amount of pollution and trash entering our waterways.

Follow these simple steps for DIY storm drain cleaning:

1. Rake/sweep and discard debris that has collected on top of the storm grate and in curbside rain gutters. Please note: If you notice a major blockage or issue with a storm drain, contact your local municipality immediately.
2. Use a scrub brush or toilet bowl scrubber to remove debris that may be stuck to the storm grate.
3. Adopt a storm drain(s) and maintain a regular cleaning schedule: Make a note on your calendar each quarter to clean and clear debris from storm drains nearby your home or workplace. And, make a habit of checking your storm drains after rainstorms when clogging is most common.
4. Host a community clean-up day that includes trash pick-up, storm drain cleaning, and disseminating information on the impacts of stormwater runoff and what we can do to help.
5. Consider contacting your local watershed association or municipality about getting drain markers installed on storm drains throughout the community. The markers act as a continued public reminder that anything dumped into a storm drain eventually ends up in our precious waterways downstream.

Remember: Small actions lead to big achievements in protecting water quality. 

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• Environmental Action
• Natural Resource Management
• Stormwater Management
• Uncategorized