Stormwater 101:What you can do to improve

Stormwater Quality

Katherine A. Lewis

June 28, 2008

Water Basics

All of the water we have is all the water we will EVER have.

Water is essential to life

Watershed

The land area from which surface runoff drains into a stream channel, lake reservoir or other body of water.

Georgia’s Major Watersheds

DeKalb’s Major Watersheds

Stormwater Management

Stormwater Management cont.

Nonpoint source pollution

Erosion Sediment Fertilizers, pesticides Leaking septic systems Runoff from roads and

parking lots Illicit spills and illegal

dumping

How Healthy Is Our Water?

Much better than 30 years ago

Federal regulations– Clean Water Act 1972– Safe Drinking Water

Act of 1974

How Healthy Is Our Water?

Local regulations– MNGWPD Plans

• Wastewater• Water Supply• Watershed

Always room for improvement

Simple Pollution Prevention: Automotive

Use a commercial car wash Check your car for leaks

– Repair them quickly

Absorb spilled fluids with kitty litter or sand

Recycle used automotive fluids

Simple Pollution Prevention: Home Repair/ Improvement

Use paints, solvents, and cleaners in the smallest amount possible

Clean paint brushes in a sink, not outdoors*

Dispose of excess paint through a collection program or through donation

Simple Pollution Prevention: Lawn and Garden

Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly

Select native plants and grasses that are drought and pest resistant

Sweep up yard debris rather than blowing it down the storm drain

Simple Pollution Prevention

Pick up pet waste and dispose of it properly

Have your septic system inspected every 3-5 years and pumped if necessary

Spread the word about pollution prevention

TEST YOURWATER

KNOWLEDGE

What percentage of the human body is water?

A. 33%

B. 45%

C. 66%

D. 85%

Drinking 5 glasses of water daily can decrease the risk

of . . .A. colon cancer by 45%

B. breast cancer by 79%

C. bladder cancer by 50%

D. all of the above

How much water does an individual use at home

daily?A. 20 Gallons

B. 50 Gallons

C. 100 Gallons

D. 120 Gallons

How much water does it take to make a car?

A. 600 Gallons

B. 9,500 Gallons

C. 26,000 Gallons

D. 39,000 Gallons

How much of the Earth’s water is suitable for

drinking?

A. 1%

B. 15%

C. 50%

D. 85%

What is DeKalb County’s drinking water source?

A. Chattahoochee River

B. Lake Sydney Lanier

C. Peachtree Creek

D. It just appears in my home