Local councils control and maintain stormwater systems, but everyone can help stop pollution from entering our waterways.
In the garden
- wash your car on grass or gravel or take it to a car wash
- reduce use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers
- stop dirt, leaves, grass clipping, etc. from entering gutter and drains – sweep hard paths and driveways regularly and put sweepings on the garden, in the compost or bin
- stop soil and mulch from being washed or blown off the garden
- replant areas of disturbed soil
- use natural alternatives to pest control chemicals.
In the street
- stop leaves, litter and sediments from entering gutters and drains – sweep gutters and driveways regularly and put sweepings on the garden, in the compost or bin
- pick up litter and put it in a bin – bin your cigarette butts
- pick up pet droppings and dispose of them in a rubbish bin, the garden or toilet
- limit use of detergent when cleaning outside
- wash your car on grass or gravel or take it to a car wash
- maintain your car – make sure fuel is burnt ‘cleanly’ and there are no fuel or oil leaks by keeping your car tuned
- work on your car in the garage, not on the street or where oil and grease may wash into gutters.
During renovations
- wash paint brushes and rollers over a sand filter on the lawn
- take paint, turps and solvents to your local recycling centre or chemical clean out
- reuse turps once paint has settled
- remove sand, gravel, cement and other building materials with a shovel and a bin or skip
- cover your load – soil, sand or other waste – when taking it to the tip.
On the land
- stabilise banks of river, creeks and streams by planting vegetation
- control soil erosion by replanting areas of disturbed soil
- set up barriers to prevent sediment from building sites washing into stormwater drains
- reduce agricultural nutrient run-off – reduce use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers
- rehabilitate wetlands.
In the catchment
- set up pollution traps or filters to catch land-based pollution before it enters waterways
- clean or empty pollution traps regularly
- create artificial wetlands, a type of pollution trap, at the discharge point of a catchment
- reduce run-off from unsealed roads by conducting routine maintenance
- treat stormwater at the source of the pollutant - harvest rainwater or use bio-filtration systems
- retrofit stormwater treatment systems in developed areas.