Stormwater Pollution Prevention

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Stormwater runoff is water from rain and melting snow. It travels along gutters and flows over lawns, as well as driveways, parking lots and other impervious surfaces. It flows into storm drains and catch basins and through storm drain pipes and ditches. It eventually ends up in local waterbodies. It usually is not treated and along the way may pick up trash (fast-food wrappers, cigarette butts, Styrofoam cups, etc.) and toxins and other pollutants (gas, motor oil, antifreeze, fertilizers, pesticides and pet droppings). This polluted stormwater can kill fish and other wildlife, destroy wildlife habitat, contaminate drinking water sources and force the closing of beaches because of health threats to swimmers. See Cleanwater NJ FAQs.

Human activity is largely responsible for stormwater pollution. Everything that we put on the ground or into the storm drain can end up in our water. Each of us has a responsibility to make sure these contaminants stay out of our water. Whether we have clean water is up to you.

Why Has Stormwater Runoff Become Such a Problem?

Increasing commercial and residential development has a great impact on local water resources. The more impervious surfaces there are such as roads, rooftops, parking lots and other hard surfaces that do not allow storm water to soak into the ground, the greater the rate of stormwater runoff. This means a greater volume of water carrying pollution into surface waters and less water soaking into the ground. Less water soaking into the ground also lowers ground water levels, which can dry up streams and hurt stream ecosystems, and can reduce the supply of well water.

Stormwater also erodes stream banks. This in turn degrades habitat for plant and animal life that depend on clear water. Sediment in water clogs the gills of fish and blocks light needed for subsurface plants. The sediment can also fill in stream channels, lakes and reservoirs, covering the bottom and negatively affecting flow, plants and aquatic life.