1. Never Dump Anything Down Storm Drains or in Ditches

Many people wrongly think that storm drains are part of a sanitary sewer system that flow to a wastewater treatment plant. However, storm drains are a direct link to local streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands. They are designed to move water away from our streets, businesses, and homes during a rain event to keep them from flooding. This concentrated flow is directed to nearby creeks and streams without going to a wastewater treatment plant. 

Protecting Water Bodies: The Dangers of Pollutants in Storm Drains

If something other than rainwater enters a storm drain, it can have adverse effects on local water bodies.

Common hazardous household items can pose a threat by poisoning aquatic life. Products like:

• pesticides
• paint
• solvents
• motor oil

If you wash paint brushes, dispose of kitchen waste like oils, or dump cleaning supplies like mop water, you are not alone! Many people do not realize these actions, especially when compounded with urban density populations, can hurt our streams and the wildlife that depend on them.

If you need to dispose of something and are not sure where to put it, contact your local municipal or county governments for disposal options. 

Outfall of a stormwater drainage system into Town Branch in Fayetteville, AR.

Town Branch is a small tributary to the West Fork of the White River which flows into Beaver Lake, which supplies drinking water for most of Northwest Arkansas.