Help Reduce Storm Water Pollution

Help Reduce Storm Water Pollution - Water pollution prevention and control measures are critical to improving water quality and reducing the need for costly wastewater and drinking water treatment. Because water pollution can come from many different sources, a variety of pollution prevention and control measures are needed.

Stormwater runoff occurs when precipitation from rain or snowmelt flows over impervious surfaces such as driverways, sidewalks and streets, which prevents the runoff from soaking into the ground.

Stormwater runoff can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt and other pollutants and flow into the storm sewer system or directly into lakes, rivers, ponds and wetlands. Anything that enters the storm sewer system is then discharged into bodies of water we use for swimming, fishing and providing drinking water. This in turn can increase costs for treating our drinking water.

In an attempt to educate the community on ways to prevent the potential for storm water pollution, we ask that residents be aware of the direct links between land activities and rainfall and snow melt runoff that drains into storm drains and ends up in our rivers and streams.

Clean up pet waste to keep it out of street gutters; sweep up grass clippings and rake leaves to keep yardwaste debris from blowing into street gutters; apply lawn fertilizer and pesticides sparingly; control soil erosion on your property by planting ground cover; clean up spilled automotive fluids such as oil, anti-freeze and transmission fluids from driveways and don’t hose the spills into the street. Please do your part to help eliminate storm water pollution. For information on disposal of hazardous waste and pollution prevention, contact Kane County at 630-208-5118. For more recycling information, send an email to recycle@countyofkane.org or call 630-208-3841.