January, 2010

The new stormwater utility rate ordinance has been passed by the City Council at its regularly scheduled meeting on January 12, 2010.  For more information, CLICK HERE.

November, 2009

The new Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination ordinance has been passed by the City Council at its regularly scheduled meeting on November 24, 2009.  For more information, CLICK HERE.

The establishment of a separate stormwater utility and the adoption of the Stormwater Management Manual of Eastern Washington (SMMEW) was also passed by ordinance at the same meeting.  For more information, CLICK HERE.

Check out our new Stormwater public education column, now printed in the information section of your City Utility bill!  Each month we will feature information, tips and tricks for helping to keep our watershed clean and healthy. 

El Nino-ing and flowing

 January

When there's no snow on the ground, storm drains are the last thing on anyone's mind!  But warmer winters can lead to big problems - fast!  When the ground is frozen, precipitation that falls can't soak in.  Large rainfalls on frozen ground mean large amounts of runoff in a short amount of time, and it can lead to flooding if storm drains are blocked.  That's why it's important to know where your neighborhood storm drains are.  The City crews clear street storm grates, but YOU can help.

 

When it's raining, especially in winter, keep an eye out for your storm drain.  Don't let anything pile over the grate, including any snow or ice.  If you see a blocked grate, clear it if you can, or call the Stormwater Department at 766-9277 to report backups or flooding if it occurs.  It can happen faster than you imagine - from puddle to problem!

 

Remember:  WINTER + RAIN = RUNOFF.  Make the call ASAP if you see flooding.

Slippery stuff

 December

Ice and snow are slippery stuff!  We all need to get around safely...and that means traction.  We often try to make the job easier by using materials like sand, ice melt and salt around our homes.  But these products have a hidden cost.  When the ice and show melt away, these materials are carried into our storm system, causing plug ups (sand) and watershed damage (chemicals).  These products are also hard on your sidewalks, and can contribute to early concrete failure.

How do you help?  Shovel early and often.  Break up snow before it becomes ice.  Reduce your use - only use salt and chemicals on your primary entrance.  Use only enough deicer to break the ice/pavement bond, then remove the slush by shoveling.  Avoid products with glycol or urea, which are harmful to our watershed.

Happy Holidays from your watershed, and the City of Moses Lake Stormwater Division!

Don't be a turkey!

 November

Around the holidays, FOG creeps into our sewer and storm systems, causing backups, clogs and water pollution.  No, not the weather phenomena: FOG - fats, oils and grease from improperly disposed cooking residues.  Deep fried turkey might be a tasty Thanksgiving treat....but don't dump that used oil down your sink or storm drain!

 

There are several ways to dispose of FOG.  Pour small amounts into a container, let harden, and dispose in the trash.  Or, pour over a container of absorbent material like kitty litter until it is completely absorbed, and dispose in the trash.  For larger amounts, such as from a turkey fryer, call CDSI at 762-5880 for information on their oil recycling program.

 

Don't be a turkey!  Keep FOG out of our storm and sanitary sewer systems!

Leaf it alone

 October

Do you know where the storm drains live on your street?  In the fall, it might be easy to miss them.  It might seem like an easy solution to blow all those fallen leaves and yard waste out into the gutter for disposal.  But remember, when it rains, it drains.  Rainwater can sweep leaf litter and grass clippings into the storm system, causing nutrient pollution in the lake.  And leaves and brush can plug up a storm drain entirely, causing a failure of the system and localized flooding.

 

Dispose of yard waste like you would household garbage - in the trash or to the landfill.  Better yet, start a compost pile, and turn that waste into brown gold. And for your brush and tree trimmings, don't forget about the City Tree and Brush Chipping Program with pickups in your neighborhood twice a year, in April and October.  Watch the newspaper or call 766-9224 for pickup dates in your area. 

Don't be a pool fool

 September

 It's getting cooler outside, and the kids are back in school.  Time to drain that swimming pool for the season!  Here's some pointers on how to drain your pool or spa without harming our watershed.  Call the Stormwater Department at 766-9277.  Notice of discharge is required, and staff will assist you with the best ways to discharge water on your site.

Choose a location to drain to that is vegetated.  Don't discharge water to gravel, dirt or directly to the gutter.  Just a few feet of grass disperses flow volume, filters any residual chemicals, and keeps solids out of the drains.

Don't dump leftover pool chemicals in the drain!  Pool chemicals are an illicit discharge, and can harm the watershed.  Wait for hot tubs to cool down before draining.  An increase in just a degree or two of temperature in the watershed can be devastating to lake life.

Correct pool cleaning makes a happy pool - AND a happy watershed!

Well, oil be!

 August  

Shadetree mechanics love August.  It's time to perform that routine maintenance.  Before you begin the project, think about what to do with those used materials.  NEVER pour these fluids down a storm drain!  Motor oil, antifreeze, gasoline and other mechanical fluids are toxic to our watershed. 

 

The best solution is to have your car maintained at a commercial service location, if possible.  If you do it at home, be sure to contain any fluids, clean up all spills, and take your used materials to a qualified recycling location for disposal.   Dial or visit 1-800-RECYCLE (www.1800recycle.wa.gov) for a list of recycling locations in your area, or pick up a flyer for information where you pay your utility bill. 

 

ONLY RAIN DOWN THE DRAIN!

Workin at the car wash

 July  

Aah, summer!  Time to slip on your flip-flops and wash that dirty old car.  But before you pull it up in the driveway and turn on that hose, remember this:  what goes down, goes out.  Soaps, detergents, oil, grease, heavy metals and road grime come off the car and are carried down the storm drain to the watershed.  These compounds injure fish and aquatic life and contribute to the nutrient pollution (and shorter lifespan) of a waterbody.

 

The best alternative?  Take your car to a commercial car wash.  These locations divert dirty wastewater from our storm system into a treatment plant.  If you must wash your car at home, do it on the lawn where runoff water can soak into the soil and be filtered.  And turn off the hose in between rinses or use a shutoff nozzle to minimize flow.

 

Clean cars.... And clean water.  We all win.

Raw sewage in Moses Lake!

 June

 

School is out!  The kids are playing catch with the dog, the sun is sparkling off the water, and everyone is excited to grab their swimsuits so they can go down to the lake and jump into the....RAW SEWAGE???

 

Wait a minute.  What's happening in our back yards that fills our beautiful lake with hidden bacteria, parasites and microorganisms?  Did you know that dog waste is raw sewage?  It's true: each gram of dog waste has over 23 million E. coli colonies in it — and when it rains, or when we water our lawns, that material is carried into the stormwater system... and into the lake.  100 dogs in 2-3 days make enough bacteria to close a beach, and all watershed areas within 20 miles of it. 

 

What's the solution?   Scoop the poop.  Flush it, just like sewage.  Or bag it, and place it into your trash.  Keep our lake clean!

May flowers

 May  

 May is the month for flowers and all things green and growing. As your yard and garden come back to life, spring chores begin.  It's time for firing up the watering system, fertilizing, planting and mowing. 

 

The things that keep your yard and garden green and happy can also harm our lake and wetlands.  These substances feed the algae and weeds as well, leading to explosive overgrowth of aquatic plant life.  Nutrient pollution is the single largest pollution problem affecting recreational lakes in the United States, and it is predominantly human-caused, and preventable.

 

Remember to keep fertilizer, dirt and yard waste swept up and out of the street and gutters before they can reach the storm drains, and keep our lake pristine!

April showers 

April

Spring rains are great for May flowers, but can be bad for our lake.  Runoff is excess water from rain, snowmelt, or yard watering that flows down the streets and driveways and into storm drains.

 

Have you ever wondered where all the water goes? Water that does not soak into the ground or evaporate travels through the storm sewer system, and can carry pollutants from our streets and homes into habitat, wetlands and the lake.

 

Do your part to keep fertilizer, dirt and yard waste out of the street and gutters before they can reach the storm drains! 

Washington's waters need your help!

 March

Did you know that one third of Washington's waters are too polluted to meet state water quality standards? Think it comes from big factories, or heavy industry? You'd be wrong!

More than 60% of water pollution comes from our day to day use: cars leaking oil, fertilizer and yard chemical use, pet waste runoff, and detergents from washing cars. All of these small everyday sources lead to a BIG pollution problem.


YOU can be the solution to pollution! When it comes to chemicals, reduce your use. Keep your car in good shape. And keep pollutants out of our storm drains. Make sure the green we see isn't in the lake.

Storm sewers vs. sanitary sewers

 February  

Everybody knows what a sewer is.  Don't they?  That's the system of pipes that carries wastewater (and other stuff we don't want to think about) to the sewage treatment plant.  When we see water flow into a storm drain, some people might think that stormwater goes to the same place.  That's just not true!

 

Moses Lake is served by an MS4: a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, which carries untreated runoff in many cases directly to wetlands and the lake.  The system is meant to handle only clean rainwater and snow melt runoff.  That's why it's important for all of us to keep trash, oils, and waste out of our storm drains, and out of our watershed.  Every little bit keeps our watershed clean!

 

Keep up the good work: ONLY RAIN DOWN THE DRAIN!