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The Real Truth About Storm Drains

January 16, 2008 - We have all seen them along our city streets and in parking lots. Most have heavy metal grates and contain some pretty dirty water. Storm drains do their job, year after year, preventing flooding by draining away water when it rains or the snow melts.

The drains are a necessary part of the plan when we develop malls, parking lots, and streets. They ensure sufficient drainage when the natural vegetation and landscape no longer exist to absorb the rainfall. But where does this drainage (stormwater) go? Since drains pick up nasty stuff like oil, antifreeze, nutrients, toxics, litter, and almost everything else that gets deposited on the ground, they must all be piped to the local sewage treatment plant, right? That's what most people think but that is not the case.

Most storm drains discharge directly to the nearest waterbody, be it a lake, stream, river or coastal water. Think of stormwater as a big broom sweeping materials into these waters. No responsible person would deliberately pour oil, antifreeze, or other pollutants into the water; yet, these same materials spilled onto the pavement are not given a second thought, even though they end up in the same place.

Perhaps worse yet, because of the misconception that storm drains provide treatment, these drains are often used to dispose of harmful materials such as used motor oil or pesticides. The misconception is so prevalent that in many areas of the country, people have started storm drain stenciling programs to wam residents.

"The message stenciled on the storm drain is clear: DUMP NO WASTE - DRAINS TO STREAM /LAKE/BAY... To ensure that our waters stay clean for future generations we must all do our part to keep stormwater and storm drains as free from pollutants as possible.

The following are some things we can do to minimize stormwater pollution. Use care when filling fuel tanks or fluid reservoirs in cars, snowblowers, or recreational vehicles. Clean up any spills with absorbent material and dispose of the waste at an approved facility (landfill or transfer station.) Ensure that motor or recreational vehicles are not leaking oil or other fluids. Never dispose of any material in a storm drain.

So the next time you see a storm drain, remember that it may be just an extension of the nearest river, stream, lake or coastal water. As citizens it is our responsibility to keep stormwater as clean as possible to maintain the health of Maine's precious water resources.

This column was submitted by William Laflamme, an Environmental Specialist with the Maine DEP's Bureau of Land and Water Quality.


SOURCE: MACHIAS VALLEY NEWS OBSERVER

DATE: 01-02-2008


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