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Stormwater is water that collects in the gutters of streets, from rainwater as well as other sources, including runoff from sidewalks, driveways and landscape watering. Stormwater is also known as urban runoff.
Stormwater flows into storm drains, and then runs untreated to your local creeks and the Suisun Marsh. That's why you should prevent automotive antifreeze, oil, solvents, construction debris, liquid fertilizers, weed killers, insecticides, leftover paint, chlorinated pool water and other contaminants from reaching curbs and flowing into storm drains.
What harm can a few drops of antifreeze or paint do in such a large volume of water as the Suisun Marsh? Unfortunately, those and other contaminants and toxins can cause plenty of harm, even in minute amounts. Just a few parts of contaminant per billion—equivalent to just one drop of toxid fluid added to a swimming pool— can threaten the acquatic organisms, fish and birds that inhabit the Suisun Marsh.
Run a hose from the output of your pool filtration system to a utility sink or into a sewer pipe cleanout junction. Our sewage system is equipped to process chlorinated water, but our storm drain system is not designed for that.
You can do lots of things to help:
- Make sure that only clean water flows into the storm drains.
- Fix vehicles that leak oil or other fluids.
- Take precautions when changing your oil, or performing similar vehicle maintenace, and prevent oil and other fluids from running down the pavement and into the storm drain system.
- Wash your vehicle on your lawn or at a local commercial carwash.
- Don't litter, and discourage others who do, because debris can clog and contaminate the storm drains.
- Sweep your sidewalks and driveways before hosing them down.
- Don't blow lawn trimmings into the street.
- Don't dump anything except clean water into the storm drain.
You can obtain information about hazardous waste disposal requirements from Solano Garbage Co.
by calling (707) 439-2800 or visiting www.solanorecycles.com or www.ci.fairfield.ca.us/4899.htm.
You may call any of these local agencies:
The Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District has printed pamphlets outlining best management practices (BMP) for restaurant operators, painters, swimming pool maintenance businesses and members of other industries, as well as for homeowners, building contractors in various trades, and do-it-yourself hobbyists. Guidelines specific to building contractors are available from the Public Works Department of each city, and also are contained in the California Storm Water BMP Handbook for Construction Activity. You may download that and other handbooks from the Web site of the California Stormwater Quality Association.
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