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There are many ways in which you can have a direct effect on the quality of the water that enters the streams and waterways in Montgomery County. Use the list below to find out how you can help reduce stormwater pollution.
Everyday Gardening Practices to Reduce Stormwater Pollution
- Don’t use fertilizer or pesticides near ditches, gutters, or storm drains, where direct runoff of these contaminants can easily occur. Never dispose of lawn or garden chemicals in storm drains. This is illegal stormwater pollution.
- Use pesticides sparingly—more is not better! “Spot” apply, rather than “blanket” apply. Apply garden products sparingly, and follow all label instructions.
- Don’t use fertilizer or pesticides before a rain. When watering your lawn, use the least amount of water possible so it doesn't run into the street, carrying pesticides and other chemicals with it.
- Don’t blow, sweep, hose, or rake leaves or other yard trimmings into the street, gutter, or storm drain. Learn how to dispose of yard trim.
- Compost yard waste.
- Use nontoxic or less-toxic products to reduce the amount of chemicals applied to your garden and lawn whenever possible.
- Grasscycle. Grasscycling simply means recycling grass clippings right in your own yard. It’s a fast, easy, and simple solution for managing grsss clippings.
Learn about other ways to capture rainfall that falls on your yard
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Roadways and Drains
Litter on the streets finds its way into our local streams through the stormdrain system. Help us reduce litter and trash in our waterways:
 Watch a video of a local church group on their monthly mission to clear trash along New Hampshire Avenue.
After a rainstorm, street litter ends up in local streams, transported by the stormwater drain system. Return to Top
Household Hazardous Waste Disposal
Never use the gutter or storm drain system to dispose of household waste. Liquid residue from paints, thinners, solvents, glues, and cleaning fluids is a hazardous waste. Learn more about the County's Household Hazardous Waste program and how to dispose of household hazardous waste properly.
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Automobile Care
Most of us don't think of cars as a source of stormwater pollution, but they can be. You can prevent stormwater pollution by maintaining and repairing your car responsibly.
Maintenance and repair: When you're making repairs or performing minor maintenance, make sure you've protected the sidewalk, curb, street, and gutter from automotive fluids before you start working. Many such fluids—motor oil, antifreeze, transmission fluid, degreasers, solvents, and the like—are hazardous wastes. They're toxic to us and to the environment. No one wants to swim in them. So identify the nearest storm drain and take steps to prevent automotive fluids from running into it.
Waste Storage: Collect used automotive fluids in sealable containers marked with their contents. Never mix different fluids in one container. Store the containers in a secure location where they can't spill, tip over, or wash off into a storm drain. For information about proper disposal options, see the County's Household Hazardous Waste Program.
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Pet Waste
Pet waste left to decay on sidewalks, lawns, or common areas is harmful to people and the environment. Rain washes the waste into storm drains, which might lead directly into local streams. Pet waste frequently contains bacteria and parasites that can severely sicken people, pets, and wildlife.
Picking up after your pet is the law [Chapter 5-203(a)], and the law applies to both dogs and cats. Noncompliance can result in a $100 fine.
It's easy to keep your pet from polluting the land and water. Take a plastic bag or pooper-scooper on pet walks, and clean up after your pet. And what should you do with the waste you pick up? Here are the options:
- (The easier option) Use a plastic bag, and then deposit the bag in your regular household trash can. Pet waste must be double-bagged (the small bag containing the waste must be placed inside a larger bag or trash can liner) to protect trash collectors from harmful bacteria and parasites.
- Install an underground pet waste digester, which works like a small septic tank. These devices are available at pet stores and through catalogs. They must be installed and sited properly to prevent attracting rodents and other pests, and to prevent bacteria from leaking into the groundwater. Make sure you place the unit 100 feet from any well—your own or a neighbor's.
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