With June in full swing, the monsoon and stormwater are hot topics. As we know, when it rains that water runs down streets, driveways, washes, and other surface area collecting whatever might be in its path and heads to our storm drain system. This water will eventually make its way back into the aquifer, and we want to be sure that it is as clean as possible.
Nationwide, it is estimated that 30% of the known pollution to our nation’s water systems is attributable to stormwater runoff. In 1987, the United States Environmental Protection Agency developed a regulatory program to address this pollution issue. It created a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and it issues permits to any place that will discharge pollutants to a water source. In Arizona, the Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) manages these permits and the reporting that comes along with them. Our Water Reclamation Facility is required to complete and submit the AZPDES. Click here to check out all the reporting requirements for the facility.
During construction, there are specific requirements from the state to prevent pollutants from getting into the water. The Town even requires a Stromwater Pollution Prevention Plan as part of the construction documentation. Now, there are many things that can be done at home to prevent pollutants on a smaller scale. The graphic above shows a few things you can do to keep our stormwater as clean as possible. More can be found by clicking here. You could even check out the Only Rain Down the Drain website here, which has some videos and other helpful tips for keeping our stormwater runoff clean.
As those storm clouds build and our monsoon kicks off, we hope you take some time to think about what might be around your home that could end up on the stormwater runoff.
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