STORM WATER PUBLIC EDUCATION

As a permit requirement for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program, the City has established guidelines for the community to follow.

Pollution on the community’s streets, parking lots, lawns, and businesses is washed by rain into storm drains. This ‘runoff’ water leads directly to Trotwood’s drinking water supplies and the creeks, ponds, rivers lakes that children play in and around.

Yard fertilizers, car and lawn mower fuels and oils, ice melting agents, pesticides, soaps, pet waste, grass clippings, and numerous other pollutants end up in the community’s water. This storm water pollution is hazardous to clean, abundant water. That’s why the City is doing something about it.

By sharing the responsibility and making small, easy changes in our daily lives, everyone can help to keep common pollutants out of Trotwood’s storm water. This can quickly add up to cleaner water, and save everyone the high cost of cleaning up once it’s dirty.

As part of the City’s initiative to keep its water clean and plentiful and to meet Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) requirements, municipalities and public agencies must adopt ordinances and other rules prohibiting activities that lead to storm water pollution. Breaking these rules can result in fines or other penalties.

Due to age, weather effects, and new federal requirements the City’s storm water drainage infrastructure will be upgraded over the next decade. In order to provide adequate storm water management within the community and to achieve compliance with Federal Water Pollution Act Storm Water Management Program guidelines, Public Works is operating under an Ohio EPA General Permit that establishes a Phase II Storm Water Management Program for the City.

The City has:
• Created a storm water utility with ‘user fees’ to fund improvements and maintenance
• Placed even more focus and attention on community needs involving storm water drainage
• Funded and completed a Citywide Storm Water Master Plan
• Developed and implemented a Storm Water Action Plan per OEPA requirements
• Budgeted for professional storm water engineering and maintenance assistance

Here are some hints to help prevent pollution from entering the community's water:
• Sweep fertilizer off of driveways and sidewalks, back onto your lawn
• Minimize use of salt de-icing agents
• Keep leaves, grass clippings, trash, and fertilizers out of storm drains
• Do not dump motor oil, chemicals, pet waste, dirty or soapy water, or anything else down the storm drain
• Volunteer to label the storm drains in your neighborhood to inform your neighbors that storm drains flow directly to our lakes and rivers

For more information on storm water related topics, please visit www.nonpointsource.org. Information is also available at the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Websites www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater or
www.epa.gov/nps.

For more information please contact Public Works Director Thomas N. Odenigbo at (937) 837-1702 or todenigbo@trotwood.org.