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Education Helps Keep Stormwater Pollutant-Free
Stormwater is rain and snow melt that runs off impervious surfaces such as rooftops, paved streets, highways, and parking lots. As water runs off these surfaces, it can pick up pollution such as oil, fertilizers, pesticides, soil, trash, and animal waste. From here, the water might flow directly into a local stream, pond or lake, or it may enter a storm drain and continue through storm pipes until it is released untreated into a local waterway.
In addition, the large impervious surfaces in urban areas increase the quantity of peak flows of runoff, which in turn cause hydrologic impacts such as flooding, scoured streambeds channels, soil erosion, in-stream sedimentation and loss of habitat. Because of the volume of runoffdischarges, mass loads of pollutants in stormwater can be significant.
The good news is we can do a lot to prevent water pollution by making small changes in our everyday lives. SEMSWA is committed to promoting behavior changes through increased public awareness of local water quality problems associated with stormwater runoff. We accomplishthis by creating educational materials, forming partnerships, and conducting outreach events.
Keep reading about SEMSWA’s education and outreach strategy on our Water Quality Pollution Prevention Page, or visit our How to Get Involved Page to find a service project.
SEMSWA is a member of SPLASH, a collaborative group that provides water quality information at community events throughout the South Metro area.
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Permitting
For Park, Metro Dist. & HOA Maint.
Information For Businesses
- GESC Considerations for Pipe Relining Operations
- GESC Considerations for Minor Right of Way/Streetscape Construction
- GESC Considerations for Minor Commercial Construction
- Annual Bore Utility Permits
- Land Development Review Process Explained
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- Am I in the Floodplain?
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