|
IN THIS ISSUE:
- What is Stormwater and How Does it Become Polluted?
- How Stormwater Pollution Affects Our Community
- 6 Practical Ways to Prevent Stormwater Pollution
- Illegal Dumping and What You Can Do About It
|
|
What Is Stormwater and How Does it Become Polluted?
Have you ever wondered where rain water and irrigation runoff goes? In natural areas where urban development hasn't occurred, water absorbs into the ground. However, where urban development has occurred, there are more impervious surfaces, like rooftops, paved roads, driveways, and parking lots, which limit the ability of the water to be absorbed into the ground. As a result, water flows across these impervious surfaces and carries whatever it comes into contact with along the way right into the storm drains. This may include animal waste, automobile fluids, pesticides, trash, and other pollutants. In addition, materials like soapy water, oil, or paint could also end up down storm drains if disposed of incorrectly.
|
|
How Stormwater Pollution Affects Our Community
The storm drainage system within the City of Lincoln consists of curbs, gutters, and storm drains, and it ultimately discharges untreated water into our city's three beautiful waterways (Markham Ravine, Auburn Ravine, and Raccoon Creek). The storm drainage system is separate from the sewer system, which means that the water that flows into the storm drain system does NOT get treated by the Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation Facility. As a result, this untreated water may adversely affect the water quality and/or aquatic life that use the waterways.
You can help through simple actions.
Continue reading to learn how.
|
|
6 Practical Ways To Prevent Stormwater Pollution
We know that the issue of stormwater pollution can be overwhelming, but as a resident of Lincoln, you're in a position to make a difference! Luckily for you, there's many different ways you can help out. Here's how:
- Car Maintenance: Recycle & Properly dispose of your used oil, oil filters, antifreeze, and car batteries to the Lincoln household hazardous waste collection center at 3195 Athens Avenue. Click here to learn more car maintenance tips.
- Gardening & Pesticides: First use natural pest control mechanisms before pesticides. If you use pesticides, use the least toxic option. Want to learn more? Click here.
- Pet Care: Bag it! Always bring bags to pick up after your dog. Don't forget to throw the bag into a garbage receptacle. Click here to learn more pet care tips.
- Sandbags play an important role in preventing flooding during the rainy season. Sandbags are available to Lincoln residents free of charge at three different locations found here.
- Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) are chemical wastes and materials typically used within a household such as paints, cleaning solutions, oil, batteries, and pesticides. Since these wastes and materials may be corrosive, toxic, or flammable, they should be disposed of at a HHW facility NOT with household garbage. Learn how to properly dispose of your HHW at no charge here.
- Trash clogs storm drains and causes flooding, which can damage homes and businesses and harm local creeks and rivers. Always dispose of trash properly and keep garbage can lids secure. Take the litter pledge today and help make a difference!
Want to dive into a topic we listed?
View this webpage on our website to learn more!
|
|
Illegal Dumping and What You Can Do About It
The City of Lincoln has an ordinance that prohibits illicit discharges and illegal dumping. An illicit discharge is the discharge of anything into the storm drainage system that is not clean stormwater. Such discharges may become a source of pollution in our local creeks and rivers because they can contain pollutants such as bacteria and viruses, metals, pesticides, sediment, nutrients, and trash. The dumping of trash or other discarded items pollute our waterways, costs money to cleanup, and causes our City to look unsightly. Don't Trash Lincoln.
|
|
Remember—Clean Water Starts With You!
|
|
|
|
|
