Storm Water Pollution Prevention : In order to participate in storm water pollution prevention it is important to understand the impact that storm water has on water pollution.

Storm water refers to the water from rain or melting snow that “runs” downhill, usually into a storm drain, stream, lake, bay, river, ocean, or another body of water.

As the storm water runs toward its destination it is likely to pick up various pollutants from the ground.

Since the water is not running where it can be filtered whatever it picks up along the way will become part of the storm water runoff.

This means that water which runs through a contaminated area, such as a road construction site, can bring the tainted pollutants into the body of water causing pollution for the natural environment.

You can’t stop the storm water from running and you can not very well redirect it to avoid a specific area. Storm water pollution prevention is all about the cohesive efforts and responsible behaviors of everyone. It is necessary to cut polluted water off where it starts, which would be at the ground level.

Storm water pollution prevention is necessary for a variety of reasons. Pollutants can cause harm to the natural environment and the wildlife within the environment. It takes a surprisingly small amount of toxic pollutants to ruin the drinking water that is available for the surrounding wildlife as well as create an unhealthy environment for recreational or even commercial fishing.

Swimming areas can be closed down. In fact, at any given time of the year in the United States nearly 25% of recreational swimming beaches are closed due to poor storm water pollution prevention. That very same storm water can additionally throw of the balance of natural bodies of water and cause the growth of algae that is harmful to wildlife and to humans.

The Environmental Protection Agency, casually referred to as the EPA, has implemented some much needed guidelines for developing storm water pollution prevention plans. These plans developed by the EPA include a registry program for any business or industry that emits potential storm water runoff. This registry process serves several purposes.

For starters, it helps the EPA keep track of the industries that are discharging potentially toxic waste into our waterways. It also helps the EPA establish which pollutants are most likely to show up in various regions based on the industries that have applied for a permit. This can help accelerate the process of water testing and assist in developing in depth studies of the effects of the pollution.

Additionally, the permit registration process helps to raise funds for the clean up operations that are continuously taking place. With a system in place to help fund the clean up operations and keep close tabs on the level of pollution being pumped onto the ground for the next rain or snow event.

Storm water pollution prevention requires more than just buying a permit. All industries and businesses regardless of their size need to put forth their own environmental clean up effort.

Assembling a team for clean up of the discharge is not difficult. One person needs to stay on top of the plans and oversee that the prevention plan is well maintained. Small businesses that discharge waste are just as culpable for the condition of the waterways and surface pollution.

Businesses that deal with any type of discharge that can be spilled, such as antifreeze, need to be vigilant about teaching employees the proper clean up procedures for polluted storm water.

There is a very narrow window of time that a chemically based spill can be efficiently cleaned up. One of the most important aspects of storm water pollution prevention is fast action when spills happen, although spill prevention is always preferable.

Storm water pollution is one of the biggest pollutant problems that can occur. With simple pollutants covering the roadways, construction sites, industry, and even household projects all contribute to the growing problems of water pollution. The solution lies in the promise of each and every individual to intentionally and purposefully combat the contaminants that end up in our natural resources.

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