What is Stormwater?
Stormwater runoff occurs when precipitation from rain or snowmelt flows over the ground. Impervious areas like driveways, parking lots, buildings, sidewalks, and streets prevent stormwater runoff from naturally soaking into the ground. As stormwater flows it picks up oils, salt, litter, sediment and other pollutants. This stormwater runoff can flow directly into the Town’s street storm drain collection system, or travel overland before it empties into waterbodies like a Natick lake, stream, river, or wetland with little or no treatment to remove the pollutants that could be transporting. These are the same waterbodies we use for swimming, fishing, and providing public drinking
water.
Does Natick have a Stormwater Program and why?
· Public Education & Outreach
· Public Involvement & Participation
· Illicit Discharge Detection & Elimination
· Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control
· Post Construction Stormwater Runoff Control
· Good Housekeeping in Municipal Operations
What problems can stormwater cause?
Stormwater can cause quality and quantity problems. It picks up anything in its path and delivers it to our water resources (streams, rivers and lakes). Pollutants including oil, yard waste, fertilizers, litter and sediment can create stormwater of poor quality that can h arm our streams, wetlands and other resources. Too much stormwater is also harmful. In an area with natural ground cover (grass, trees, etc), only 10% of the rainwater runds directly into the streams. The other 90% is absorbed or evaporates. In urban areas, up to 55% of rainfall can become stormwater runoff. THis increased runoff in urban areas can cause flooding, erosion and property damage if not wisely managed.
Doesn't stormwater go to a treatment plant?
No. Unline wastewater, which is treated, stormwater goes directly into a community's streams, rivers and lakes. Because stormwater comes in large amounts at unpredictable times, treating it as wastewater would be very expensive. However, there are Best Mangement Practices (BMP's) that can reduce the impact of stormwater.
What are Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP's)?
Best Management Practices (BMP's) can be defined as practices, schedules of activities, maintenance procedures, and structural or other management decisions that have been found to be the most effective and practical means to prevent or reduce the discharge of pollutants into the environment.
BMPs can be structural including wet and dry detention ponds, bioretension areas, oil/water seperators and constructed wetlands or non-structural such as pollution prevention programs and public education.
What can citizens do to ensure pollutants are not carried off by rainwater?
The residents of Natick can help keep the stormwater clean by doing some of the following:
· Dispose of wastes properly;
· Use the minimum amount of chemicals on your yard;
· Do not fertilize prior to rain and only use the proper amount
· Keep your car well-maintained.
All of these can reduce the amount of pollution that you add to stormwater runoff and our rivers and streams. You can also route the flow from your impervious areas, roof gutters, driveways and sidewalks to natural areas on your property to help reduce the quantity of storm water runoff. Or, add rain barrels below your gutters to harvest rain for watering your plants (also helps conserve water). This will help infiltrate water back into the ground instead of running off into the streams.
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