Stormwater Education for Homeowners

General Information

Pollutants commonly found in stormwater include:
  • Dirt
  • Fertilizers
  • Grass Clippings
  • Herbicides
  • Oil



  • Pesticides
  • Pet Waste
  • Soaps
  • Trash




Educational Resources

Freddy the Fish Teaches About Stormwater     


These pollutants degrade the quality of surface water and drinking water; damage the habitat of fish, plants, and animals; and can affect recreational uses of bodies of water by making them unsafe for wading, swimming, boating, and fishing.

You can help control storm water pollution if everyone plays a part in preventing these substances from entering the storm drain inlets in the streets where they live and work.

Pet Waste

Did you know there is about 60 million dogs in the United States? An average dog drops an average of 3/4 pounds of waste daily. That’s 16.4 billion pounds of poop per year! When pet waste is left on the ground or disposed of improperly, water quality and your health may be at risk. Stormwater runoff can pick up pet waste as it washes down storm drains, drainage ditches, and into our creeks, rivers, and lakes.

Tips for Dealing with Pet Waste

  • Attach a small bag or pouch to your dog’s leash so that you can always carry a supply of baggies.
  • Be creative in re-using materials for picking up pet droppings! Save plastic bread bags, plastic newspaper sleeves, or plastic produce bags and use them as scooping baggies.
  • When using a baggie or plastic bag, slip it over your hand like a mitt, pick up the droppings, hold a top corner of the bag with your other hand, and quickly flip it inside-out. Then, dispose of it in a trash can.
  • Once a week, clean up droppings around your yard and dispose of in the trash can. Pet waste composters are available commercially, check them out.