The old saying about April showers bringing May flowers rings true, to some extent. April does come with its share of spring rains; but May gets a heavy dose of rain as well. With all those May showers, it's time to take a look at healthy stormwater management.
What Does Stormwater Carry With It?
Next time you experience a heavy rain in your area, take a look outside. Where does the water tend to flow in your neighborhood? What does it encounter along the way? Think about what that stormwater might be picking up as it washes over your driveway, through your yard, and across your deck. According to environmental experts, stormwater often picks up different kinds of pollutants, including the motor oil left on your driveway, the chemicals used on your deck, and the pesticides you sprayed on your lawn. None of those things are healthy for the environment.
Where Does the Stormwater Go?
If you live in an urban or suburban area, the landscape is covered in surface that do not promote water absorption. Streets, parking lots, driveways, and rooftops don't allow the rain to soak in; they shed it as runoff. After the stormwater washes across your property, it has to travel downhill until it can drain off into streams, gullies, or street drains. The pollutants that have collected in the water during its journey become part of the ecosystem, posing a danger to water quality in your area. Fish, wildlife, and even people can be negatively affected.
How Can You Help?
You may feel that you can't do much to help the situation. After all, you're just one person. However, every little bit of effort helps the environment, and your attention to the stormwater issue might inspire others in your neighborhood to take action as well.
Choose to use safe pesticides or go completely pesticide-free with your lawn, flowerbeds, and garden. Ask Kurtz Bros., Inc. about earth-friendly garden products and landscape treatments.
Consider installing a backyard rain garden. This type of garden collects rainwater and encourages immediate absorption into the ground. That way, the water doesn't have to travel over contaminated surfaces, collecting pollutants along the way. When people create rain gardens, the amount of pollution reaching streams and creeks is cut by up to 30%. All you need to create a rain garden is a depression in the earth, in which you have cultivated native plants and grasses.
To find out more about eco-friendly stormwater management, contact Kurtz Bros., Inc. We are passionate about beneficial reuse and green infrastructure, and we can help you develop a stormwater pollution prevention plan for your property.