Stormwater
You Can Help Keep Our Environment Clean

We are doing much to prevent dangerous materials from entering the water systems through the stormwater system, but there are many ways you can help us keep your natural environment clean.

Illegal Discharges into the Stormwater System

The dumping, spilling, or discharging of any non-stormwater material to any surface area or storm water management system is prohibited without prior written approval from the city. NOTE: This includes emptying of swimming pools into the drainage system.

Alterations Or Obstructions To Storm Water Management

Changing or blocking any stormwater management system in the City, including pump stations, sewer lines, structural controls, catch basins, culverts, wetlands or swales is prohibited without prior written approval of the city.

Swales

Swales are the strip of land usually located in front of a house between the sidewalk and the street. Even though you may have never stopped to think about it, swales have an important role in the protection of our environment and the beauty of our City.

Swales provide two important roles. First, they are a natural drainage area for rainwater that falls on streets, driveways and sidewalks. Second, they help protect our environment. While removing the rainwater from the road, the run-off picks up the oil, pesticides and lawn fertilizers that collect between the rain storms. The swales naturally filter out and reduce these pollutants, decreasing their loading on groundwater resources. Otherwise, these pollutants would eventually end up in our canals, lakes, and ocean.

This is why swales should be kept grassy. Also, by keeping the swales in their natural state adds beauty to our City thereby increasing property values. Swales paved with asphalt or built up with dirt can cause health, environmental, and aesthetic hazards. Rain water can collect and stagnate or may run off the paved surface, picking up leaves, litter, animal waste, oil, etc., that will contaminate our water resources.

Homeowners are required to maintain the swales around their property in good condition helping us to protect our canals and waterways. To ensure the swale areas stay in good condition, simply follow a few basic guidelines:

• Keep your Swale free of leaves, limbs and any other debris. Dispose of debris and oil properly, instead of placing them in your swale.

• Avoid parking vehicles on the swale. This will allow the grass to grow healthy and keep the soil loose so water can filter and soak into the ground more easily.

• If you have to pave your swale for driveway access, pave just the section you need and leave the rest in its natural state. Remember that paving over a swale requires a City permit, since pavement is considered a permanent structure.

• Landscaping your swale area can be pleasing to the eye, but it also disrupts the natural drainage qualities of the swale. Consider landscaping behind your property line you will still add beauty to your home while keeping the swale in its natural state. All landscaping within the swale areas shall be in accordance with established procedures approved by the city.

Litter, Littering Material

The accumulation, placing, sweeping, scattering, throwing, or dumping of litter, or littering material such as dead plants, yard clippings, stagnant water, rubbish, debris, trash, including any wrecked derelict or partially dismantled motor vehicle, trailer, boats, machinery, appliances, furniture or similar article, or any unsanitary, hazardous or significant material upon any surface area, stormwater management system or water body within the city is prohibited.