Stormwater Smart
- Follow directions on pesticides and fertilizers, (measure, do not estimate amounts) and do not use if rain is predicted within 48 hours.
- Water your lawn and garden by hand to control the amount of water you use.
- Set irrigation systems to reflect seasonal water needs. If water flows off your yard and onto your driveway or sidewalk, your system is over-watering.
- Mulch grass clippings or leave them on the lawn. If necessary, dispose in a green waste container.
- Prevent urban runoff by taking your car to a commercial car wash whenever possible.
- When cleaning around the house choose soaps, cleaners, or detergents labeled “non-toxic,” “phosphate free” or “biodegradable.”
- When cleaning your car, shake floor mats into a trash can or vacuum to clean.
- Take your vehicle to a commercial carwash where the washwater is recycled and sent to the sanitation district.
- Use a nozzle to turn off water when not actively washing down your car.
- Monitor vehicles for leaks and place pans under leaks. Keep your car well maintained to stop and prevent leaks.
- Use cat litter or other absorbents and sweep to remove liquids left by vehicles or any other kind of outdoor “wet spill.”
- Perform automobile repair and maintenance under a covered area and use drip pans or plastic sheeting to keep spills and waste material from reaching storm drains.
- Never pour oil or antifreeze in the street, gutter or storm drains. Recycle these substances at a service station or used oil recycling center.
- Store household hazardous waste (HHW) in closed, labeled containers inside or under a cover and dispose of them at an HHW collection center.
- Do not hose down your driveway, sidewalk or patio. Sweep up debris and dispose of it in the trash.
- Always pick up after your pet. Flush waste down the toilet or dispose of it in the trash.
- Bathe pets indoors or have them professionally groomed.
Food Service Facilities (Restaurants)
Fats, oils and grease from restaurants and food service facilities can cause sewer line blockages that may result in sewage overflow into restaurants and into storm drains. Scrape food waste into the trash prior to washing the dishware. Never hose floor mats off outside. Instead sweep them, throw the debris away in the trash, and then hose the mats off in a mop sink or at a floor drain.
Unlike water in sanitary sewers (from sinks and toilets), water in storm drains is not treated before entering our waterways and should never contain washwater, trash, grease or other materials. You would never dump oil and trash into the ocean, so don’t let it enter the storm drains. Click the link to the right to download the Food Service Facilities Pollution Prevention brochure.
Tips for the Food Service Industry
- When disposing of food, make sure to never throw waste down the drain. Food scraps often contain grease, which can clog sewer pipes and result in sewage backups and overflows.
- When there is a major spill, immediately contain and clean the spill using dry methods such as a rag, damp mop, or broom.
- Make sure to sweep the floors regularly and discard the debris into the trash.
