By Casey Heilman
AllenSWCD District Administrator  

Taking care of storm drains is not only important to reducing flooding but is also  important to the health of the Ottawa River [and in Bluffton to the Maumee River]. The Allen Soil and Water Conservation  District is urging you to “adopt” the storm drain in front of your home. Make it part  of your weekly lawn maintenance to check your storm drain. By taking care of this  drain, you can help reduce the amount of debris entering [these watersheds].

Storm drains collect excess water, from rain or melting snow, which runs off  driveways, yards, streets, and other surfaces. This stormwater runoff picks up  everything lying loose on the ground such as oil, pet waste, litter, fertilizers,  pesticides, and soil particles. These pollutants are then carried down the storm  drain, through the storm sewer system, and directly into the river. Unlike the  sewage system, water entering the storm sewer is generally not treated or filtered  before being deposited into the river. 

This means that all the waste and litter dumped in curbside drains will end up in  local streams.

Remember, stormwater runoff is responsible for around 90% of the pollution  entering streams. You can help by not dumping waste of any kind into storm drains.  Picking up pet waste, being sure to not overwater our lawns, and regularly clearing  storm drains of debris are great ways to help reduce pollution in our river.

For more  information on storm drains, contact Lydia at the Allen SWCD, (419)-222-0846 ext. 1002.