What You Can Do About Stormwater

Thanks to @sustainpvd for these tips to manage stormwater & help avoid contributing to stormwater pollution!

Capture rain & reuse

Disconnecting your downspout from the stormwater system helps improve water quality & provides a household with water for gardening. Buy a rain barrel, make your own, or check out RI DEM’s resources for other approaches to saving the runoff from your roof.

Slow the flow with green infrastructure

Rain gardens & other green spaces act as semi stormwater blockades; they absorb water & can be strategically placed to slow the flow of stormwater as it heads to a drainage point.

Keep storm drains clear

Never dump anything near a storm drain or water drainage ditch. These areas often have no water treatment & lead directly to rivers and streams.

Zero waste & scoop the poop

Litter thrown & left on the streets will get washed into our water system one way or another. Clean up after your pet. We don’t want poop on our shoes & we definitely don’t want poop in our water system.

Clean up clippings

Discarded clippings & other bits of yard waste easily clog up storm drains, causing neighborhood flooding.