Stormwater runoff is water from rainfall or melted ice and snow that flows over the ground. You might be thinking, “Okay, so what’s the big deal?”

By definition, it doesn’t sound harmful. But runoff becomes polluted and greatly affects our environment which is why it is important for your homeowners association’s (HOA’s) and your community to understand what exactly it is and what it does.

Rain and snow touch nearly everything including sediment, metal, pesticides, fertilizers, oils, grease, toxic chemicals, viruses, pet waste, etc. That means that stormwater runoff touches almost all of those things.

When the runoff gets into streams, lakes, and retention ponds, they can harm fish and wildlife, kill vegetation, and spoil drinking water supplies. All of it flows directly into our wetlands, retention ponds, lakes, and streams or down the nearest storm drain or waterway without treatment.

That’s right, stormwater is not treated like sewage water.

Along with that, stormwater runoff pollution can result in the risk of flooding, erosion, and extensive damage to streams. Flooding not only damages property, but it also threatens public safety by increased exposure to drownings in flood waters.

Because stormwater carries disease-causing bacteria, recreational actives become dangerous and not fun. Who wants to go swimming in a lake or pond that is exposed to substances that can make you sick?

There is more to stormwater runoff than meets the eye. That is why it is important to know in Charlotte NC what it is and how it affects our environment.

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