Storm Water
Stormwater runoff is rainwater that runs from impervious surfaces such as driveways, streets, and parking lots before traveling into storm drains and pipes. These storm drains and pipes are separate from your traditional sanitary sewer systems (toilets, sinks, showers, etc.) and must be managed differently according to the Clean Water Act.
Despite the common belief, STORMWATER DOES NOT GET TREATED BY WATER TREATMENT PLANTS. This is due to an issue of scale. Just one inch of rainfall on a one-acre parking lot can generate over 27,000 gallons of runoff. That entire parking lot, pollutants and all, goes into the storm drain, which eventually ends up in our rivers, streams, or lakes. The very same water bodies that we get our drinking water from.
Stormwater can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants, which flows directly into our streams, rivers, and lakes. So, any pollution that enters a stormwater system is discharged untreated into the waters we use fishing, swimming, and drinking water.
Don't dump anything into storm drains. If you do see someone dumping into a storm drain, call the Planning and Zoning Department at 828-428-5034 or use our online reporting tool through the Town of Maiden App. If you see an illicit discharge, please report it.
VEHICLE & GARAGE
Despite the common belief, STORMWATER DOES NOT GET TREATED BY WATER TREATMENT PLANTS. This is due to an issue of scale. Just one inch of rainfall on a one-acre parking lot can generate over 27,000 gallons of runoff. That entire parking lot, pollutants and all, goes into the storm drain, which eventually ends up in our rivers, streams, or lakes. The very same water bodies that we get our drinking water from.
Stormwater can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants, which flows directly into our streams, rivers, and lakes. So, any pollution that enters a stormwater system is discharged untreated into the waters we use fishing, swimming, and drinking water.
Don't dump anything into storm drains. If you do see someone dumping into a storm drain, call the Planning and Zoning Department at 828-428-5034 or use our online reporting tool through the Town of Maiden App. If you see an illicit discharge, please report it.
VEHICLE & GARAGE
- Use a commercial car wash or wash your car on a lawn or other unpaved surface to minimize the amount of dirty, soapy water lowing into the storm drain and eventually into your local water body.
- Check your car, boat, motorcycle, and other machinery and equipment for leaks and spills. Make repairs as soon as possible. Clean up spilled fluids with an absorbent material like kitty litter or sand, and don't rinse the spills into a nearby storm drain. Remember to properly dispose of the absorbent material.
- Recycle used oil and other automotive fluids at participating service stations. Don't dump these chemicals down the storm drain or dispose of them in your trash.
- Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly. When use is necessary, use these chemicals in the recommended amounts. Avoid application if the forecast calls for rain; otherwise, chemicals will be washed into your local stream.
- Sweep up yard debris, DO NOT BLOW IT INTO THE STREET OR SIDEWALK.
- Don't over water your lawn. Water during the cool times of the day, and don't let water run off into the storm drain.
- Vegetate bare spots in your yard to prevent soil erosion.
- When walking your pet, remember to pick up the waste and dispose of it properly. Flushing pet waste is the best disposal method. Leaving pet waste on the ground increases public health risks by allowing harmful bacteria and nutrients to wash into the storm drain and eventually into local water bodies.