You may have never considered what goes down your storm drain, but it is something you ought to be thinking about. Storm drains generally empty directly into natural waterways and pollutants such as soap, oil, pesticides, and other hazardous chemicals can harm entire ecosystems. By exercising some caution and following these stormwater solutions, you can do your part to keep your local bodies of water clean and safe.

1. Avoid chemical fertilizers unless absolutely necessary. Have your soil tested to verify what it needs. Use organic alternative when possible.
2. When using fertilizers, follow the directions closely to make sure that excess chemicals won’t be washing down the storm drain during the next rainstorm.
3. Keep your car free from oil leaks and never dump motor oil down the drain. Collect used oil and recycle it instead.
4. Clean up after your pets and make sure that pet waste is thrown away instead of washed down the storm drain.
5. Avoid using pesticides on your lawn. Look into alternative pest control instead.
6. Look into other landscaping options to reduce the amount of grass on your property. Try to choose plants and shrubs that are native to your area and that don’t require huge amounts of water.
7. Never dump cleaning supplies, antifreeze, garden products or other hazardous waste. Find a hazardous waste dump instead.
8. Compost yard waste to ensure it doesn’t end up getting washed down the drain. 9. Wash your car on the lawn or in gravel which can help filter the soap or dirt out of the water before it hits the drain.
10. Sweep off driveways and sidewalks instead of hosing the debris down the drain.
11. Use alternatives to concrete such as gravel, rocks, cobbles, and brick in the areas around your home to provide better drainage.

Following these eleven steps is a great way to keep the storm drains clean, and our environment healthy. Always remember that no matter where you live, you’re downstream. As we become good stewards of the environment, it will in turn be a more enjoyable place to live.