STORM DRAINS
&
SANITARY SEWERS
STORM DRAINS
WHAT IS A STORM DRAIN?
• Drains in the ground that conduct
water that collects during and after
rain and snow storms on streets and
sidewalks to other locations to
reduce puddling and flooding.
• In Berea, our storm drains are
directed into the East Branch of
the Rocky River and eventually flow
into Lake Erie.
STORM DRAINS
STORM DRAIN POLLUTION
• Our biggest water quality problems don’t
come from a discharge pipe. They come
from stormwater washing off the land—
roads and rooftops, lawns and construction
sites, parking lots and driveways.
• The problems include the flooding volumes
of water that flow off the hard,
impervious surfaces of our urban and
suburban landscapes, as well as all the
pollutants that are washed off these
surfaces.
WHAT SHOULD GO DOWN A
STORM DRAIN?
Stormwater, of course!
VARIOUS STYLES OF STORM DRAINS
STORM DRAIN MARKINGS
NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION
• Pollution that cannot be tied to a
single, identifiable source.
• Common non-point sources:
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agriculture
forestry
urban
mining
construction
dams
channels
land disposal
saltwater intrusion
city streets
POLLUTANTS GOING TO WATERWAYS
• These pollutants include:
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Fertilizers (agricultural & residential)
Herbicides (agricultural & residential)
Insecticides (agricultural & residential)
Oil
Grease
Toxic chemicals from urban runoff
Litter including cigarette butts &
chewing gum!
SANITARY SEWERS
• A sewer which carries sewage (liquid
or waterborne waste from plumbing
fixtures) and to which storm and
surface water, street runoff, and
groundwater are not admitted
intentionally.
• A sewer that transports only
wastewaters (from domestic
residences and/or industries) to a
wastewater treatment plant.
SANITARY SEWERS
WHAT SHOULD GO DOWN A
SANITARY SEWER?
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Human waste
Dishwater
Laundry water
Reasonable garbage disposal
waste
• Bath water
WHAT SHOULD NOT GO DOWN
A SANITARY SEWER?
• Goldfish!
• Solvents such as paint thinner and
turpentine (toxic chemicals)
• Paints, urethanes & varnishes
• Feminine hygiene products
• Trash
• Drugs
COMBINED STORM DRAINS &
SANITARY SEWERS –
COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOWS
Storm drain on top of sanitary sewer.
Notice there is no top to the
sanitary sewer.
Storm Drain
Sanitary Sewer
COMBINED SEWER
OVERFLOWS
. Older systems have combined
sanitary/storm drains.
• Problems:
1. During heavy rains sewage will “overflow”
into storm drain pipe (and vice-versa) and/or
2. The storm drain may clog (see photo below)
backing up the storm water therefore causing
overflow between sewage and storm water.
The storm drain (now storm water & sewage)
flow to the nearest surface water body (river,
creek, lake, ocean) and contaminate the water.
Common contaminant is Fecal coliform bacteria.
COMBINED SEWER
OVERFLOWS
Hey!
I’m
broken!
Fix me…
And
Clogged!
Yuck…
WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT
THESE PROBLEMS?
• Learn about the topic.
• Don’t pollute!
• Educate others about storm
drains, sanitary sewers and
the watershed.
• Volunteer for river cleanups. (May 16th 2009)