Urban Runoff: Conservation’s Worst Enemy

Every time you let the sprinklers run too long or wash your car in the driveway, you’re contributing to a major county-wide problem – urban runoff. All of that excess water can carry pollution like fertilizers, motor oil and pesticides into local storm drains, where it eventually makes its way into local creeks and then to the ocean. Cities and local water districts are working hard to reduce urban runoff in an effort to conserve our supplies and limit impacts to water quality along our shores.

You Can Help Prevent Runoff

Government officials and water districts have teamed up to develop ways to reduce and prevent urban runoff, but they can’t do it alone. Everyone needs to make sure to be water-wise inside and outside of the home, so that our environment is clean for all of us to enjoy. Here are a few tips your can incorporate into your daily routine to help prevent urban runoff:

• If you park your car outside, check for and promptly fix oil leaks. If your car is leaking oil, the rain will wash that oil right into the storm drain.
• Pick up pet waste and place it in the trash. When walking your pets, carry a plastic bag with you at all times for this purpose. Pet waste is one of the biggest contributors to runoff pollution.
• Reduce the amount of fertilizer and pesticides used on your landscape and don’t over-water your lawn and plants. Over-watering allows these contaminants to be carried off your property and into storm drains.
• Don’t dispose of motor oil, paint products, car detergents and similar pollutants down storm drains. Dispose of paints and oil products at approved disposal sites. Call 1-800-CLEANUP for the site nearest you.
• Use a broom or rake to clean up yard debris and dispose of it in the trash. Don’t wash down your driveway or sidewalk with a hose.
• Keep your property free of litter that can potentially clog storm drains.
• Refrain from littering. When you see litter, pick it up.

As residents of Southern California, it is important to remember that we live in a semi-arid area that receives unpredictable amounts of rainfall and has limited local water resources. Therefore, we must all work together to conserve as much water as possible, to ensure adequate supplies during those hot summer months in the years to come.

It’s a simple equation: if we use less water, our existing supplies will go further. That’s why conservation has become a significant component of SMWD’s water supply planning strategy. Over the years, SMWD customers have been able to save thousands of acre-feet of water through rebate programs, plumbing retrofits and improved awareness of the need to use our water resources more efficiently. And those savings not only help the District, they help you too. That’s because the less water you use in and around your home, the lower your monthly water bills will be.

Click on the images below for indoor and outdoor conservation tips and for information or to return to the conservation page.