Resources for Homeowners
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
As a renter or homeowner, you should know that many things that you do around the house can result in stream pollution. This is because the rainfall that runs off your roof, sidewalk, lawn and driveway goes directly to a stream or pond – it does not go to any type of treatment system. Yes, your runoff flows to the street gutter or swale, then perhaps to a detention basin, but from there the collection of runoff from your neighborhood flows to the creeks by your home. There is no treatment process to remove stormwater pollutants, so it’s up to you as a homeowner to control pollution “at its source”.
The
more hard (“impermeable”) surfaces you have on your property, the less
opportunity for the porous ground (mainly your lawn, plant beds and
garden) to
absorb
the rainfall. There are “Low Impact Development” strategies that can be
built into new homes, and older homes can be retrofitted with structures
that enhance absorption of pollutants from homes. These are usually in
the form of “bioswales” or “rain gardens” – low areas that are filled
with absorbing materials and plants that look like small wetlands or
butterfly gardens. But these rain gardens are especially good at
trapping pollutants.
WHY ARE RESIDENTIAL HOMES CONSIDERED POLLUTION SOURCES?
The
greatest reason for stream impairment in Oklahoma, and across the
Nation, is
from
bacteria. Residential neighborhoods and urban areas in general are a
significant source of bacteria that often cause water quality standards
to be exceeded. Rooftops collect leaves, bird droppings and dirt which
will be washed off with every rainfall. Animal waste from pets, bird
and animal
droppings
around bird feeders, small animals that are attracted to urban areas
(such as squirrels, opossums, mice, raccoons, etc.) all contribute to
bacteria loads flowing to streams with every rain event.
We frequently over-fertilize our lawns and
misuse pesticides. It’s tempting to think that if 5 units are needed to
control pests, then 20 will be better. But we
all need to change how we
think about chemical use and follow directions carefully. Refer to the
tips below to help.
How often have we disposed of used motor
oil or paint and solvents by pouring them down the nearest storm drain
inlet in the street? But where doe all that chemical waste go? Would
you be happy if an industry routinely dumped chemical wastes into the
creeks where your children play? Industrial waste is an ugly phrase,
but consider that your home contains many of the same chemicals that are
used in an industry. Chemicals in a stormdrain do not go to any
treatment plant,
they
flow with the next rainfall directly to your creeks and ponds.
Washing cars in a driveway discharges soap into the gutter which eventually ends up in local streams. Many soaps contain phosphorus that act as nutrients in a stream causing a localized ecological upset by over-production of algae. The tips below can help control pollution from car washing at homes.
WHAT YOU CAN DO AS A HOMEOWNER:
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The management practices and suggestions for stormwater control measures provided in this website are for general information purposes only. Local municipal stormwater program managers or the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) should be contacted for specific guidance on what actions need to be taken to achieve full stormwater permit compliance. |
Rev. October 10, 2007