FAQs • Leominster, MA • CivicEngage

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What is Stormwater?: Stormwater is water that runs off impervious surfaces such as rooftops, paved roads, driveways, and parking lots. Stormwater carries sediment and surface pollutants such as petroleum products, litter/trash, phosphorus, and nitrogen. Stormwater is washed down by storm drains and the vast drain piping network carries the stormwater into one of the many brooks or ponds in the City.

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Stormwater & Water Pollution

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1. What is Stormwater?: Stormwater is water that runs off impervious surfaces such as rooftops, paved roads, driveways, and parking lots. Stormwater carries sediment and surface pollutants such as petroleum products, litter/trash, phosphorus, and nitrogen. Stormwater is washed down by storm drains and the vast drain piping network carries the stormwater into one of the many brooks or ponds in the City.

2. Why is Stormwater Runoff a Problem?: Stormwater can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants and flow into a storm sewer system or directly to a lake, stream, river, wetland, or coastal water. Anything that enters a storm sewer system is discharged untreated into the waterbodies we use for swimming, fishing, and providing drinking water.

3. How Does Pet Waste Affect Water Quality?: Pet waste is a key contributor to water quality problems. When pet waste is left on sidewalks and lawns, it is carried into nearby rivers, lakes, and streams when it rains, polluting the water and creating a health hazard for people.