Business and Industry

What can Business Owners and Industrial Operators do to prevent stormwater pollution? 

ELIMINATE IMPROPER DISCHARGES, CONNECTIONS OR ILLEGAL DUMPING

• Don’t dump grease down the storm drain or onto the ground. Grease can clog pipes, block storm drains and decrease water quality
• Be sure all of your sanitary drains and floor drains are properly routed to the sanitary system. They should NOT be connected to the stormwater system

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

• Never dump mop or other cleaning water down storm drains. Dispose properly in sanitary drains
• Be sure all of your waste and trash containers are leak proof and have tight-fitting lids
• Inspect your dumpsters! Be sure they are trash and leak free. Pick up and dispose of any loose trash and clean up spills properly
• If possible, use bio-degradable cleaning products

PARKING LOTS AND SIDEWALKS

• Keep your parking lots regularly swept
• Sweep up winter sand and salt and fall leaves on your sidewalks and parking lots
• DON’T hose down your parking lots unless the run-off can enter a grassy or vegetated area to soak into the soil
• Regularly remove gravel/sand/leaves/debris from your parking lot before they can be washed into the storm drains
• Promptly clean up any parking lot spills such as oils, fuels, etc. with absorbant material disposed of properly

GROUNDS

• DON’T apply herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers in ditches or on sidewalks or parking lots adjacent to ditches or drains
• Mulch grass clippings into the turf during mowing, do not allow grass clippings to wash down storm drains. Sweep them up!
• Check your sprinkler systems! Maintain them properly so they are not causing run-off into the storm drains
• Maintain landscaping beds. Do not allow mulch to wash into storm drains
• Use fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides carefully and sparingly

PRESSURE WASHING/CLEANING

• When cleaning facilities, identify where the water will flow
• Do not allow cleaning water to flow down stormdrains
• Utilize socks, booms, storm drain covers or other management practices to protect storm drains from wash water run-off