Urban Water Pollution
Because storm drains can be a major source of water pollution, it is essential to keep all contaminants out of them. Below is an overview of common pollutants and how you can help protect your local waterways.
Because storm drains can be a major source of water pollution, it is essential to keep all contaminants out of them. Below is an overview of common pollutants and how you can help protect your local waterways.
Household Hazardous Waste
Pollution: Many everyday products—such as oven cleaners, solvents, paint thinners, and bathroom cleaners—contain toxic chemicals that pose serious health and environmental risks.
Solutions:
Pollution: Many everyday products—such as oven cleaners, solvents, paint thinners, and bathroom cleaners—contain toxic chemicals that pose serious health and environmental risks.
Solutions:
- Dispose of unused hazardous waste at your local collection or disposal site.
- Choose natural or less toxic alternatives when possible.
Fertilizers
Pollution: Fertilizers contain nitrogen and phosphorus, which can wash into waterways and fuel excess algae growth. This reduces oxygen levels in the water and can cause major fish kills.
Solutions:
Pesticides and Herbicides
Pollution: These chemicals can threaten human health, wildlife, beneficial insects, and aquatic life. Rain can wash them off lawns and gardens and carry them into streams.
Solutions:
Pollution: Fertilizers contain nitrogen and phosphorus, which can wash into waterways and fuel excess algae growth. This reduces oxygen levels in the water and can cause major fish kills.
Solutions:
- Sweep up spilled fertilizer; never hose it into the street or storm drain.
- Avoid applying fertilizer before heavy rain.
- Do not over-apply — soil testing can show exactly how much you need.
Pesticides and Herbicides
Pollution: These chemicals can threaten human health, wildlife, beneficial insects, and aquatic life. Rain can wash them off lawns and gardens and carry them into streams.
Solutions:
- Minimize use and choose alternatives when possible.
- Always read and follow all label instructions and warnings.
Antifreeze
Pollution: Antifreeze can severely reduce oxygen in water and is toxic to wildlife, pets, and humans.
Solutions:
Pollution: Antifreeze can severely reduce oxygen in water and is toxic to wildlife, pets, and humans.
Solutions:
- Recycle used antifreeze at an appropriate facility.
- Do not mix used antifreeze with other substances.
Motor Oil
Pollution: Motor oil can kill aquatic plants and animals. A single quart spilled into water can contaminate up to two million gallons of drinking water.
Solutions:
Pollution: Motor oil can kill aquatic plants and animals. A single quart spilled into water can contaminate up to two million gallons of drinking water.
Solutions:
- Recycle used motor oil.
- Never pour oil into storm drains, onto the ground, or on driveways.
Paint
Pollution: Improperly disposed paint can be toxic to people, pets, and wildlife. Some older or specialty paints may contain harmful ingredients such as lead.
Solutions:
Pollution: Improperly disposed paint can be toxic to people, pets, and wildlife. Some older or specialty paints may contain harmful ingredients such as lead.
Solutions:
- Donate leftover paint to community groups.
- Dispose of oil-based or lead-containing paints at an approved hazardous waste site.
Street Litter and Plastics
Pollution: Litter is easily swept into storm drains, ending up in creeks and rivers. Plastics can take hundreds of years to decompose and pose choking hazards to wildlife.
Solutions:
Pollution: Leaves, soil, and grass clippings can clog storm drains, increasing flood risks and contributing to nutrient pollution.
Solutions:
Pollution: Litter is easily swept into storm drains, ending up in creeks and rivers. Plastics can take hundreds of years to decompose and pose choking hazards to wildlife.
Solutions:
- Always put litter in trash containers—never in the street or storm drains.
- Recycle plastics and other materials when possible (and rinse them first).
Pollution: Leaves, soil, and grass clippings can clog storm drains, increasing flood risks and contributing to nutrient pollution.
Solutions:
- Keep leaves and grass off streets, sidewalks, and driveways.
- Compost grass clippings and plant material.
Pet Waste
Pollution: Pet waste left on the ground releases harmful bacteria and nutrients into stormwater, which can contaminate local streams.
Solutions:
Pollution: Pet waste left on the ground releases harmful bacteria and nutrients into stormwater, which can contaminate local streams.
Solutions:
- Pick up and dispose of pet waste by burying it or flushing it down the toilet.
Storm Water
When rainwater flows across surfaces like manicured lawns, streets, parking lots, and roofs where it can’t soak in, it accumulates and rushes into storm drains and waterways. Natural vegetation such as forests and pastures slows the rainwater, allowing it to soak into the ground. Storm water that travels into storm drains flows directly into streams and rivers. It Does Not go through a wastewater treatment plant. Because some people wrongly assume storm water is treated, many citizens use storm drains and ditches as
places to dispose of all kinds of pollutants. So, storm drains wind up carrying large amounts of pollution away from urban areas straight into our streams, lakes, ponds, and finally into the Kansas River. Street litter, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, yard and pet waste, motor oil, anti-freeze, household hazardous wastes, are just a few of the pollutants that find their way into our waterways through storm drains. Here we review nine problems and nineteen suggestions for ways to improve our storm water.
When rainwater flows across surfaces like manicured lawns, streets, parking lots, and roofs where it can’t soak in, it accumulates and rushes into storm drains and waterways. Natural vegetation such as forests and pastures slows the rainwater, allowing it to soak into the ground. Storm water that travels into storm drains flows directly into streams and rivers. It Does Not go through a wastewater treatment plant. Because some people wrongly assume storm water is treated, many citizens use storm drains and ditches as
places to dispose of all kinds of pollutants. So, storm drains wind up carrying large amounts of pollution away from urban areas straight into our streams, lakes, ponds, and finally into the Kansas River. Street litter, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, yard and pet waste, motor oil, anti-freeze, household hazardous wastes, are just a few of the pollutants that find their way into our waterways through storm drains. Here we review nine problems and nineteen suggestions for ways to improve our storm water.
📞 Call: (785) 266-9053 ext. 3 Visit: 3231 SW VanBuren Street Ste: 2 Topeka, Kansas 66611 📧 Email: [email protected]
