Combating stormwater pollution
The City of Port St. Lucie is dedicated to combating
stormwater pollution by adopting best management practices
and by educating the public about healthy household habits
that can greatly reduce the pollution that ends up in the
city's stormwater.
Best Management Practices
Best Management Practices (BMPs) are methods that have
been determined to be the most effective, practical means
of preventing or reducing pollution of non-point sources
from entering into our city's stormwater system and our
surface waters. Some of the BMPs that the city practices
are:
- Treatment ponds to remove pollutants from
stormwater
- Operating and maintenance procedures
- Stormwater education
- Management practices to control runoff from spills
or leaks of non-stormwater
- Erosion and sediment control practices
- Any other similar actions as the Department of
Environmental Protection or the city determines
appropriate and necessary for the control of
pollutants
Healthy household habits for clean water
As a resident, you can help by following these healthy
household habits:
Vehicle and garage
- Use a commercial car wash or wash your car on a
lawn or other unpaved surface to minimize the amount of
dirty, soapy water flowing into the storm drain and
eventually into your local water body
- Check your car, boat, motorcycle, and other
machinery and equipment for leaks and spills. Make
repairs as soon as possible. Clean up spilled fluids
with an absorbent material like kitty litter or sand,
and don't rinse the spills into a nearby storm
drain. Remember to properly dispose of the absorbent
material.
- Recycle used oil and other automotive fluids at
participating service stations. Don't dump these
chemicals down the storm drain or dispose of them in
your trash.
Lawn and garden
- Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly. When necessary, use these chemicals in the recommended
amounts. Avoid application if the forecast calls for
rain; otherwise, chemicals will be washed into your
local stream.
- Select native plants and grasses that are drought
and pest resistant. Native plants require less water,
fertilizer, and pesticides.
- Sweep up yard debris, rather than hosing down
areas. Compost or recycle yard waste when
possible.
- Don't over water your lawn. Water during the
cool times of the day, and don't let water run off
into the storm drain. Follow South Florida Water
Management District regulations.
- Cover piles of dirt and mulch being used in
landscaping projects to prevent these pollutants from
blowing or washing off your yard and into local water
bodies. Vegetate bare spots in your yard to prevent
soil erosion.
- Pick up and properly dispose of pet waste
Home repair and improvement
- Before beginning an outdoor project, locate the
nearest storm drains and protect them from debris and
other materials.
- Sweep up and properly dispose of construction
debris such as concrete and mortar.
- Use hazardous substances like paints, solvents, and
cleaners in the smallest amounts possible, and follow
the directions on the label. Clean up spills
immediately, and dispose of the waste safely. Store
substances properly to avoid leaks and spills.
- Purchase and use nontoxic, biodegradable, recycled,
and recyclable products whenever possible.
- Clean paint brushes in a sink, not outdoors. Filter
and reuse paint thinner when using oil-based paints.
Properly dispose of excess paints through a household
hazardous waste collection program, or donate unused
paint to local organizations.
- Reduce the amount of paved area and increase the
amount of vegetated area in your yard. Use native
plants in your landscaping to reduce the need for
watering during dry periods. Consider directing
downspouts away from paved surfaces onto lawns and
other measures to increase infiltration and reduce
polluted runoff.
