Neighborhoods	Mountains	Drains	Lakes and Streams
	email: ascesbr.sc@gmail.com			By: Signe Wilkinson, United Features Syndicate

Stormwater Committee

Guillermo (Bill) Flores Jr., PE, CPESC, CPSWQ
Chairman
HDR Engineering, Inc.
bill.flores@hdrinc.com
(951) 320-7311 Direct
(951) 533-9435 Cell

Most of our rainwater travels through gutters, storm drains, channels, washes and eventually into the major source of our drinking water.

The most common pollutants are:

These pollutants are carried through water (from rain, hoses, sprinklers, etc.) drains from streets, parking lots, and lawns and enters through catch basins throughout California. From there the polluted urban runoffs and rainwater flows through a massive system of pipes and open channels straight to various washes and reservoirs untreated. Basically, anything dumped or dropped on the ground or in the gutter contributes to stormwater pollution.

What Are the Effects of Stormwater Pollution?

Health: Stormwater pollution can pose a serious health risk to people due to pesticides, bacteria, and chemicals that is washed from our city streets and into the stormwater.

Environment: Numerous marine plants and animals living in our Lakes and Streams may become sick or die from contact with stormwater pollution.

Neighborhoods: Clogged catch basins significantly decrease the quality of life in many neighborhoods throughout the City and County. These "layers" of trash and debris can attract rats and pesticides, create foul odors, and clog the storm drain system affecting neighborhood appearences and property values, and may cause flooding due to un-proper runoff.