| |||
Answering Service Animal Control Police & Fire Department Police & Fire Department
|
Storm Water Management Program Frequently Asked Questions Storm Water Polluction Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is a watershed? A1: A watershed is a defined land area that captures rainfall and other precipitation and funnels it to a particular river, lake or stream. Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes. They cross county, state, and national boundaries. No matter where you are, you're in a watershed! Surf your watershed. (http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/state.cfm?statepostal=TX) Q2: What is storm water? A2: Storm water is rainfall that flows over our yards, streets, alleys, parking lots, and buildings and enters the storm drain (or gutter) in your street. Q3: What is a storm drain? A3: Storm drains are the openings (gutters) you see along curbs and in streets and parking lots. They collect rainwater to keep the street from flooding, and then carries the water through the storm drain system to nearby waterways, like streams, rivers, and lakes. Water, trash and other debris that enter storm drains do NOT go to a treatment facility, they empty directly into the nearest waterbody.
Q4: How does storm water get into our rivers, streams, and lakes? A4: Storm water runs off our streets, parking lots, and yards and into drainage ditches, gutters, storm pipes, and other drains, which transport the storm water directly to our creeks, lakes and the Trinity River. Q5: How does storm water get polluted? A5: As storm water flows over the ground and into the nearest storm drain, it picks up fertilizers, motor oil, industrial chemicals, grass clippings, litter, pet waste, and anything else that might be in its path. The storm drain system then takes the water and pollutants straight into the neatest waterbody. Some people illegally dump trash, yard clippings, used cooking oil, motor oil, and other pollutants into storm drains, adding to the contamination. Anything that goes into a storm drain will eventually empty into the nearest creek, lake, or river. It does NOT go to a water treatment facility. Q6: What are some examples of pollutants in storm water? A6: As rainfall runoff moves over and through the ground, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, these pollutants include:
Q7: What are the effects of these pollutants on our waters? A7: States report that storm water pollution is the leading remaining cause of water quality problems. The effects of storm water pollution on specific waters vary and may not always be fully known. However, we know that these pollutants have harmful effects on drinking water supplies, recreation, and wildlife. Q8: How is storm water different from wastewater? A8: The wastewater collection and storm water systems are separate. Wastewater is the used water that drains from toilets, sinks, household drains, and some industrial drains. The wastewater travels through wastewater collection pipes to a wastewater treatment plant where it is treated to strict quality standards before it is released into a water body. Water that goes into the storm water system does NOT go to a treatment facility Q9: Does the City of Duncanville treat storm water? A9: No, storm water is not treated by the City of Duncanville or any local government in North Central Texas. It drains untreated directly into the nearest creek, river, or lake where you live. Q 10: What is illegal dumping? A10: It is illegal to dump garbage anywhere other than a legally authorized location. Dumping garbage in places like along a roadside, in a ditch, storm drain or in a vacant lot is against the law. It's illegal to let anyone dump garbage on your property and littering is also against the law. Punishments for illegal dumping can include fines, jail time, and loss of the vehicle used by the violator. Dumping trash in unauthorized locations can lead to a number of health and safety concerns and can become a storm water problem. Improperly disposed waste can be picked up by storm water and carried into our local waterways, harming water quality. Illegal dumping also fosters a negative image in a community. People are much more likely to dump on property where a dumpsite already exists. Not to mention the high costs for clean-up can run into the thousands or even millions of dollars! When county workers clean up litter and illegal dumps, your tax dollars are spent to clean up somebody else's garbage and cannot be used for other, more urgent needs. To report illegal dumping, click here to fill out an electronic form. Q11: What can I do to prevent storm water pollution? A11: We can all work together to reduce and prevent storm water pollution. Some activities are federal government responsibilities, such as ensuring that federal lands are properly managed to reduce soil erosion. Some are state responsibilities, for example, developing rules to govern certain activities to protect waterbodies. Others are best handled by your community, such as by developing zoning or erosion control ordinances. And each individual can play an important role by changing certain everyday habits. For example:
Q12: Who can I contact to obtain more information about storm water in my city? A12: Storm water management in your city may be handled by the public works, health, engineering or environmental management department. For the City of Duncanville , contact Assistant City Engineer Gina Garcia at (972) 780-5008. Sources: City of Dallas Brochure , Publication No.97/.98-71; EPA's Polluted brochure, EPA-841-F-94-005, 1994, http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/whatudo.html; TCEQ publication GI-243/ (5/98); and NCTCOG "Stop Illegal Dumping" brochure
City of Duncanville, Texas |
Quick Links Fire Department Related Information Storm Water Pollution Frequently Asked Questions Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Information For KIDS! Teaching children about storm water pollution prevention BrainTeasers: What Do You Know About Storm Water Pollution?
|
|
.jpg)