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Reduce stormwater pollution

What you can do to reduce stormwater pollution

Some actions to do more:

• Pick up litter in the park or on the street.
• Sweep your gutter and driveway regularly and place the sweepings on the garden, the compost or in the bin.
• Do not allow soil or mulch to be washed or blown off the garden.
• Clean up pet droppings and dispose of them in the garden, rubbish bin or in the toilet.
• Rake up leaves or lawn clippings and use them as mulch on the garden or place them in the compost.
• Stabilise and replant areas of disturbed soil.
• Consider natural alternatives to pest control chemicals in the garden.
• Use the minimum amount of detergent for cleaning outside.
• Wash paint brushes and rollers over a sand filter on the lawn.
• Make sure your household sewerage pipes are not connected illegally to stormwater.
• Install rainwater tanks (where council permits), and use this water on your garden.
• Replace impermeable surfaces (e.g. concrete) with permeable surfaces such as timber decks and pavers (with gaps between pavers).
• Maintain your car making sure there are no oil leaks.
• Wash cars on the lawn or gravel and use minimal detergent. Empty the soapy water down the sink or toilet. Even better, take your car to a car wash where the water gets treated and recycled.

 

Some actions to avoid:

• Hosing instead of sweeping dirt off impervious surfaces.
• Dropping packaging or cigarette butts on the ground. 
• Leaving rubbish where bins are already full.
• Hosing leaves and grass clippings into gutters.
• Piling sand and soil on areas where it can wash into the stormwater system.
• Overusing chemicals (pesticides and herbicides) that could be washed into stormwater from the garden or yard.
• Using too much fertiliser in the garden (follow the instructions).
• Using pesticides, herbicides and fertiliser when rain is forecast the same day.
• Disposing old oil or chemicals into gutters.
• Pouring paint, solvent or cleaners in the gutter or where they may enter drains.
• Covering large areas with impervious surfaces e.g. concrete, bitumen, which can overload stormwater capacity in heavy rain.
• Washing the car in the street using detergent (it is also illegal)
• Performing oil changes on the car, where oil and may run into gutters.