The Effects of Stormwater Pollution

Right now oil, trash, fertilizer, dirt, pet waste and other forms of stormwater pollution from your state, your city, your neighborhood and possibly your yard is making its way into the nearest river or lake and eventually the nearest ocean. Stormwater -- rain and snowmelt -- carries these and other pollutants into the nearest storm drain where they become the components of stormwater pollution.

Where Does Stormwater Pollution Come From?

• Melting snow and rain carry pollution from roads into storm drains.

  Stormwater pollution comes from nearly every city and town. As rain or melting snow drains off of roads, driveways, sidewalks and lawns, it carries a variety of pollutants into storm drains. Most storm drains connect directly to a river, lake, stream or, depending on location, a bay or the ocean. Storm drains do not connect to a wastewater treatment plant because these plants cannot treat the massive amount of stormwater draining from an urban area.

Common Stormwater Pollutants

• Sweeping sidewalk dirt Into the street contributes to stormwater pollution.

  Stormwater pollution -- also called nonpoint source pollution -- is formed by a variety of pollutants including excess lawn and garden fertilizer and pesticide, oil and other vehicle fluids, pet waste, litter, soap from washing cars on driveways, and dirt that is swept from a sidewalk or driveway and into the street. Rain and melting snow carry these pollutants into the storm drain where they combine to form stormwater pollution.

Effects on Water Quality and Aquatic Life

• Garbage from cities washes up on beaches and floats in the ocean.

  Dirt from roads and driveways increases water temperature, decreases oxygen available to fish and other aquatic organisms and smothers fish eggs. Fertilizer from lawns and gardens causes aquatic plants to grow. These plants trap sediment, remove oxygen from the water and clog lakes and shorelines. Bacteria from pet waste can cause the closure of beaches and indicates the presence of disease-causing organisms. Oil dripping from cars can plug fish gills and smother fish eggs, and soap from washing cars can remove the protective mucous membrane that coats a fish.

  In the Pacific Ocean, scientist have found a floating garbage dump roughly the size of Texas and composed of tons of plastic trash, everything from plastic bags to shoes, laundry baskets to hard hats. This garbage came from cities and neighborhoods and threatens ocean water quality and marine life.

Preventing Stormwater Pollution

• Picking up pet waste prevents it from being washed into storm drains.

  The Environmental Protection Agency reports that states consider stormwater pollution the leading remaining cause of water quality problems. Stormwater pollution is difficult to prevent because it is caused by individual actions of people in every city that uses storm drains to keep roads dry and safe. Daily actions that you can take to reduce stormwater pollution include throwing sidewalk and driveway sweepings out in the trash; picking up pet waste; using fertilizer and pesticide sparingly; and keeping vehicles tuned and leak free. These actions, multiplied by millions of people daily, will reduce stormwater pollution.