1. What is the difference between sanitary and storm sewers?
Sanitary sewers collect wastewater from homes and businesses (via toilets, showers, and sinks) which then go to a wastewater treatment plant for processing and disinfection. Storm Sewers are a separate conveyances of piping which collect stormwater from catch basins, drains, and inlets located on street curbs, parking areas or drainageways. Some cities have sanitary and storm system combined, which is called a combined sewer system. In Oak Creek, the storm and sanitary system are separate.
2. What is in stormwater runoff?
Pollutants on buildings, streets, sidewalks and roads all get washed into the storm sewer system. Here are some pollutants typically found in stormwater:
- Garbage
- Oil and grease
- Sediment from construction sites and urban runoff
- Road Salt
- Lawn fertilizer and pesticides (can lead to algae blooms in ponds)
- Pet waste
- Grass clippings
- Bacteria
- Nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen (commonly found in lawn fertilizer)
- Illicit Discharges: materials that are illegally dumped into the stormwater system such as paints, cleaning solutions, and used motor oil.
Since stormwater is not treated, these pollutants enter our water ways which can cause harm to: human life, wildlife, aquatic life, vegetation, and recreational waterways.
3. How to help improve stormwater?
To help improve our stormwater, here are some steps you can take:
- Picking up pet waste: pet waste contains harmful bacteria which runs off into our waterways. Always pick up after your pet and dispose of it properly.
- Don’t dump down the storm drain: Only stormwater is permissible to enter the storm drains. Dumping any other material in a storm drain is considered an illicit discharge and is harmful to our waterways and subject to city enforcement.
- Don’t oversalt! Sodium Chloride (road salt) is extremely harmful to freshwater aquatic life. Salt that runs off from rain and snowmelt enter our water ways and do not breakdown. This volume of salt impacts our waterways and harms wildlife.
- Use phosphorous free fertilizer: excess phosphorous can lead to harmful algae blooms. Using a phosphorous free fertilizer on your lawn can avoid adding addition phosphorous into the waterways.
- Avoid placing fertilizer before rainfall events - this will keep the fertilizer on your lawn and avoid it from entering the waterway.
