Blog Post

Rainwater is a Precious Fresh Water Resource! When we think of our storm water as a precious fresh water resource, it doesn’t make sense to manage it like a waste product. There is a finite amount of fresh water on earth and we can all take steps to protect it, starting with collecting it where it falls! When we catch and collect the rainwater that falls on our houses, we reduce local flooding and stress on storm sewer system infrastructure…

We all enjoy the bright colors of changing fall leaves. And when leaves litter our lawns, we might complain about having to continuously rake them. But how many of us make the connection that leaves impact stormwater systems and the health of local waterways? How Leaves Cause Problems for Local Drainage Systems During and after rainfall, stormwater brings leaves that have gathered on streets and sidewalks into storm drains. When large amounts of leaves collect in storm drains, leaves can…

Colorful leaves create beautiful scenes in our neighborhood throughout the fall season but quickly pile up in yards and streets. Did you know that fall leaves contribute up to half of the annual amount of phosphorus in urban stormwater in just the months of October and November? As the rain falls and flows through the piles of leaves, phosphorus quickly leaches out of leaves much like a tea bag in water. This “leaf tea” makes its way to our local…

As fall rolls around, colorful leaves begin to fall off their trees and scatter lawns across the neighborhood. Extra clean-up is needed in the fall to keep your yard tidy as the leaves pile up. When cleaning up your yard, it is important to dispose of your leaves the right way! Many times, leaves end up on the street where they can be washed into storm drains, back up stormwater and enter our waterways where they can cause big problems…