Grovetown receives an average of 47.3 inches of precipitation annually, creating several billion gallons of stormwater runoff per year.
Dangers of Stormwater
Simply put, stormwater is precipitation that doesn't soak into the ground. When it rains, water washes over roofs, streets, driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, and land surfaces. Along the way, it picks up a variety of pollutants, including oil, pesticides, metals, chemicals, and soil. This polluted stormwater drains into a storm system that eventually discharges into rivers and streams. The pollutants can endanger the quality of our waterways, making them unhealthy for people, fish, and wildlife.
Unlike pollution from industry or sewage treatment facilities, which are caused by a discrete number of sources, stormwater pollution is caused by the daily activities of people everywhere. Stormwater runoff is the most common cause of water pollution.
Responsibilities
Stormwater Management Systems encompass any of the devices used to collect, treat, or dispose of storm, flood, or surface drainage waters. These include, but are not limited to:
- Catch basins
- Culverts
- Detention ponds
- Ditches
- Pipes
- Streams
- Wetlands
When it rains, these devices can become clogged, lessening their ability to carry stormwater. This stormwater can overflow into streets.
Click
here to see the City of Grovetown Stormwater Management Program.