In today’s society there is a much greater environmental awareness than at almost any time in our countries history. This can be seen in massive community clean up efforts, community recycling programs, countless conservation programs, and people searching for and purchasing products that are “environmentally friendly.” Unfortunately, many people are unaware that many of their daily activities are significantly impacting this nation’s water quality. This can be partly attributed to a misunderstanding of the difference between sanitary and storm sewers, and how they work.
Sanitary sewers collect wastewater from homes and industries and transport it to a local wastewater treatment facility where it is processed until it is safe to release back into the environment. These facilities are heavily regulated, and closely monitored by federal and state regulatory agencies to ensure the wastewater has been properly treated before it is released back into the environment.
Storm sewers on the other hand, simply convey rainwater to local streams and rivers before releasing it without treatment. This untreated water carries pollutants such as oil, grease, and heavy metals from our cars; yard waste, pet waste, fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides from our yards; sediment from construction sites; and wastes that are intentionally dumped into the sewers directly to local streams and rivers without ever being treated. This type of pollution is referred to as non-point source pollution. Although the typical sources of this pollution are small, their combined impact can be tremendous.
This table details some of the most common pollutants, where they come from, and how they degrade water quality.
| Type of Pollutants | Where it came from | What it can do |
| Sediment (dirt) | Construction, agriculture and mining sites not correctly using best management practices | Cover fish and aquatic organisms habitat, destroy oxygen enriching riffle areas, shield other pollutants from disinfection from sunlight |
| Organic Matter | Yard clippings, failing septic tanks, not picking up after your pet | When organic matter starts to decompose, it uses oxygen. If enough matter starts decomposing, it can use up all of the oxygen and kill off the aquatic organisms. Also, animal and human waste can contain diseases and pose as a public health risk. |
| Nutrients (Phosphorus and Nitrogen) | Over fertilizing lawns, soaps, animal and human waste | Create algal blooms, which can destroy ecosystems. When algae starts dying, it uses up the oxygen and kills off the aquatic organisms. |
| Fuels, oils, and other automotive fluids | Outdoor car washing, placing motor oil into storm drains, parking lots | Create public health hazards, block oxygen from diffusing into the water, halt photosynthesis, destroy habitat, clog fish gills and smother other organisms. |
| Poisons | Improper use of pesticides and herbicides | Kill aquatic organisms, and kill aquatic plants. Plants are needed for aquatic habitat and food. |
| Inanimate objects | Litter, illegal dumping of tires and trash | Create flooding problems, cause erosion of stream bank, destroys habitats. |
| Other, such as metals and industrial waste | Mostly illegal dumping, but can come from land disturbing activities | These items indirectly cause health problems by creating fish consumption limits and hinder drinking water supplies if not properly dealt with. |
*Source: Gwinnett Adopt-A-Stream "The Gwinnett River", Volume 6, No. 1, Spring 2003.
To raise awareness and help protect the water quality of the Tar River, the Environmental Health and Safety Office, with assistance from the ECU Environmental Health Club and ECU Conservation Club has implemented a storm drain marking project. The project has resulted in the installation of bright colored, circular markers, stating “NO DUMPING, DRAINS TO RIVER,” at storm drains across ECU’s campus’s.
This is being done to raise awareness of the impact our activities at ECU have on the Tar River. By informing people of where these drains discharge to, and the types of pollutants causing problems, we hope that Faculty, Staff, and Students will begin protecting these drains from pollutants, not only on campus, but also throughout the Greenville area. To learn more about storm drain marking programs see:
http://dipin.kent.edu/StormDrain_Stencils.htm.
To find out ways you can help reduce storm water pollution at home, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/dosdont.html.
