Preventing Stormwater Pollution

What would the City of Tampa be without its water? The bays, the river, the many creeks and lakes all contribute to make this city what it is and we would be a poorer place without them. But just having water is not enough. If it is polluted, impaired, or unattractive it is no longer an asset. The biggest threat to clean waterways is polluted stormwater. Also, when rain cannot flow freely through the stormwater management system, flooding can be the result. It is not the Hillsborough River or the tidal waters of Tampa Bay that cause the most flooding in Tampa. It is rainfall from our frequent and sometimes intensely stormy weather.

Fish, frogs and plants all enjoy a good rain. But as rain flows off our rooftops, over our driveways, lawns, and sidewalks, it gathers litter, chemicals, and other pollutants that have been improperly discarded. Rain then becomes polluted runoff water, which poses the number one threat to clean waterways. All waters that enter the storm drainage system ultimately flow to a natural water body such as a lake, stream, river, wetland or coastal water. This storm water needs to be able to flow through a clog free drain and come out at the end of the drainage pipe pollution free.