Storm Water

By becoming active within your neighborhood and our community as a whole, you can help us to clean up our waterways and prevent further pollution. You can participate in clean up events, such as Keep Etowah Beautiful or Renew Our Rivers. You can also help by making very small changes that will make a huge difference.

6 SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP:

Wash vehicles on grass instead of paved areas. By washing vehicles on the grass, you will help the wastewater and suds to be naturally filtered rather than discharged into the storm sewer system. As an added benefit, the grass is watered at the same time, which helps you to save water.

Use correct amounts of chemicals.Pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and other chemicals should be used according to the manufacturer’s directions. Overuse of chemicals is wasteful and contributes to the pollution of our storm sewer system.

Properly store and dispose of chemicals, fluids, cleaners and paint products.

By storing liquids in the proper containers and out of the weather, you reduce the likelihood of those chemicals leaking and entering the storm sewer system.

Collect and recycle fluids.Automobile and machinery fluids should never be dumped into the storm water system. Use a container to collect and recycle or properly dispose of fluids.

Use dry methods to clean up spills.If you do have an accident or spill of harmful chemicals, don’t use water to clean it up. This will only accelerate its discharge into the storm sewer system. Instead, use dry methods of clean up and containment, such as sweeping or using materials that will absorb the spill, like towels, sawdust or kitty litter. Once absorbed, the spill can be swept up and properly disposed of.

Keep your portion of the storm sewer clean.Never allow the drainage ways on your property to become full or clogged. Never pile leaves, grass clippings or other materials in the drainage way. Never dump chemicals or other debris into the drainage way.

• Oily or greasy sheen on water surface.  This is a sign of chemical dumping.
• Suds.  This is a sign of chemical dumping.
• Dry weather flow.  When the storm water system is full of running water during dry weather periods, this is a sign of illicit dumping.
• Full drainage ditches.  This is a sign of a clog, possibly due to debris collection or other dumping.
• Dead plants or animals.  This is a sign of chemical dumping.If you notice any of these signs, you should immediately report it to the Code Official.  These problems need to be addressed as soon as possible in order to identify the source as well as prevent further damage to the storm water system and our waterways.  When making the report, you should provide as much information as possible.  State your observations and give clear directions to the exact location of the problem.  For example: “There are suds and an oily sheen in the water of the drainage ditch on the northwest corner of the property at 1234 South 5th Street. “