What is Stormwater?
Stormwater is runoff water from rain or melting snow that flows across the landscape. Runoff flows off of rooftops, paved areas, bare soil, and lawns. Runoff gathers in increasingly large amounts (from puddles, to ditches, to streams, to lakes and rivers) until it flows into the ocean.
In its journey from puddle to ocean, stormwater picks up and transports many of the pollutants it encounters. These pollutants include dirt, pet wastes, pesticides, fertilizers, automobile fluids (such as oil, gasoline, and antifreeze), deicing products, yard wastes, cigarette butts, and litter, to name a few. By carrying all these different kinds of pollution into our waterways, stormwater itself becomes a water pollutant.
Imagine how much pollution can come from an entire town’s vehicles, lawns, homes, businesses, parking lots, and litterbugs!
Along Indiana's rivers, there are many towns and lots of people. And all of us use that water coming from upstream. Let’s keep it clean for the people downstream! Because polluted runoff is caused by so many of our everyday activities, we all need to do our part to help improve water quality.
Stormwater Quality is Federally Regulated...
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) requires communities around the country to address stormwater quality, and hence the pollution of our nation’s waterbodies. Richmond is one of nearly 200 of these required communities in the State of Indiana required to develop and maintain a stormwater quality program. This program is extremely important to the sustainability of our community. In fact, the EPA now considers stormwater pollution to be one of the most significant sources of contamination in our nation's waters.
You can find more info at the US EPA website - click here
How does the Richmond Sanitary District protect stormwater?
The Richmond Sanitary District is a designated Municipal Separate Storm & Sewer System entity, which aims to educate citizens and municipal staff about their impact on local and national watersheds, works to identify and eliminate illicit discharges, as well as implements best management practices to reduce the amount of pollutants that enter our waterways. This effort involves the whole community! RSD encourages citizens to review the available educational materials as well as the current Stormwater Quality Management Plan that affects our community.
To review the current Stormwater Quality Management Plan and Annual MS4 permits click here ,or take a moment to educate yourself on common pollutants by clicking here.
Notice of Intent
Please click here to view the Notice of Intent