![]() ![]() How can we prevent storm water pollution? This in turn, can affect human health and increase drinking water treatment costs.Ĥ. Polluted storm water often affects drinking water sources.Land animals and people can become sick or die from eating diseased fish and shellfish or ingesting polluted water. Household hazardous wastes like insecticides, pesticides, paint, solvents, used motor oil, and other auto fluids can poison aquatic life.Debris - plastic bags, six-pack rings, bottles, and cigarette butts - washed into water bodies can choke, suffocate, or disable aquatic life like ducks, fish, turtles, and birds.Bacteria and other pathogens can wash into swimming areas and create health hazards, often making beach closures necessary.Fish and other aquatic organisms can’t exist in water with low dissolved oxygen levels. When algae die, they sink to the bottom and decompose, in a process that removes oxygen from the water. Excess nutrients can cause algae blooms.Sediment can also destroy aquatic habitats. ![]() Sediment can cloud water and make it difficult or impossible for aquatic plants to grow.Polluted storm water runoff can have many adverse effects on plants, fish, animals, and people. What are the effects of storm water pollution? ![]() Anything that enters a storm sewer system is untreated and discharged into the water bodies we use for swimming, fishing and providing drinking water. Storm water can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt and other pollutants and flow into a storm sewer system or directly to a lake, river or wetland. Impervious surfaces like driveways, sidewalks, and streets prevent storm water from naturally soaking into the ground. Storm water runoff occurs when precipitation from rain or snowmelt flows over the ground. ![]()
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