Understanding Stormwater     

Stormwater is the runoff from rain fall and snow melt. When it falls or flows across natural surfaces such as forests and grassy areas, most of it will soak in. When it lands on streets, parking lots or other hard surfaces, it will run off to another location like a storm drain or a local waterway. Stormwater pollution occurs when the stormwater picks up debris (such as trash, grass clippings, pet waste, etc.), chemicals (such as fertilizers, pesticides, vehicle fluids), sediment, and other pollutants. This water then flows into a system of pipes and ditches that drains untreated into our creeks and streams. Stormwater is not processed through a treatment plant or cleaned in any way. Stormwater originates from all corners of our community, and we all share in the responsibility of keeping it clean.

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The Watershed     

A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common low point, such as a location on a river. The low points are our wetlands, creeks, ponds, and streams. A healthy watershed is vital for healthy streams and rivers. The watershed we live in is called the Upper Sugar Creek Watershed. All of the runoff in our area eventually makes its way to the Sugar Creek and from there to the Wabash River.

Stormwater is the runoff from rain fall and snow melt. When it falls or flows across natural surfaces such as forests and grassy areas, most of it will soak in. When it lands on streets, parking lots or other hard surfaces, it will run off to another location like a storm drain or a local waterway. Stormwater pollution occurs when the stormwater picks up debris (such as trash, grass clippings, pet waste, etc.), chemicals (such as fertilizers, pesticides, vehicle fluids), sediment, and other pollutants. This water then flows into a system of pipes and ditches that drains untreated into our creeks and streams. Stormwater is not processed through a treatment plant or cleaned in any way. Stormwater originates from all corners of our community, and we all share in the responsibility of keeping it clean.

What Is an MS4? 

MS4 is short for “Municipal Separate Sewer System”. A separate sewer system is a collection of structures, including retention basins, ditches, roadside inlets, and underground pipes. These are designed to gather and hold stormwater, then discharge it, without treatment to our streams and rivers. It’s called a separate system because it is not connected to the sanitary sewer system. The sanitary system drains wastewater from homes and buildings to the sewage treatment plant. This water is treated before being released into the waterway.

The MS4 is a federally mandated program that requires municipalities of certain sizes to take measures to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff to improve water quality. These mandates come from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

Common pollutants and their sources:

What these pollutants do to our waterways: