Renton trying to minimize pollution discharge into storm drains

March 25, 2010 6:50 pm
The City of Renton is placing special markers at storm drains to remind residents that dumping toxic material can affect all waterways
The City of Renton is placing special markers at storm drains to remind residents that dumping toxic material can affect all waterways

The City of Renton has begun conducting a Storm System Inventory Mapping project throughout Renton to help eliminate illicit discharges to the stormwater system and meet state and federal standards.

The goal is to minimize the discharge of pollution from municipal stormwater systems into streams, lakes, rivers and wetlands to protect their beneficial uses (swimming, boating, fishing, and aesthetics) and environmental resources.

Over the next few months a vehicle will drive the city’s maintained roads to collect video and GPS data of the roadway stormwater system. The vehicle, equipped with several mounted cameras, antennas and other electronic devices, will conduct this survey work.

This survey work will be conducted through the beginning of May 2010.

In addition, the City of Renton has begun a public information and community involvement program to educate citizens that storm drains lead directly to creeks, streams, rivers and ultimately Puget Sound. The goal is to help citizens understand about how the stormwater system functions, and how people’s behaviors are essential to preventing pollutants from entering the region’s waterways.

To help educate the public about the importance of protecting our waterways the city has begun installing “Puget Sound Starts Here” storm drain markers throughout Renton. These storm drain markers are intended to remind citizens to not place pollutants into the storm drains.

The markers are an important tool to help protect our waterways and will be affixed throughout Renton in the coming months by volunteers. To obtain a marker, contact Edward Mulhern at 425-430-7323 or email emulhern@rentonwa.gov.

Things people can do to help clean up and protect our waterways include:

• Wash your car in a commercial car wash that properly treats the water, or wash your car on the grass or surface that doesn’t drain to the street

• Inspect your car regularly and fix any leaks to avoid contamination

• Never pour motor oil or other fluids down storm drains

• Pick up after pets and properly dispose of pet waste in the trash

• Use less fertilizer and pesticides on your lawn

• Don’t apply fertilizers or pesticides on sidewalks, driveways, streets, or near storm drains or ditches