{"id":61,"date":"2012-12-13T18:26:28","date_gmt":"2012-12-13T18:26:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/recycletorrance.org\/recycle\/?page_id=61"},"modified":"2013-04-02T01:30:18","modified_gmt":"2013-04-02T01:30:18","slug":"water-pollution","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/recycletorrance.org\/learn-more\/water-pollution\/","title":{"rendered":"Stormwater Pollution"},"content":{"rendered":"

STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION \u2022 IT’S UP TO US!<\/h3>\n

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Safe Environmental Habits and Procedures for Gardeners, Homeowners and Landscapers<\/h3>\n

The City of Torrance has two drainage systems – the sewers and the storm drains. The storm drain system was designed to prevent flooding by carrying excess rainwater away from city streets out to the ocean.<\/p>\n

During storms in urban areas, rainwater may mix with pollutants in industrial and household runoff, creating storm water pollution.<\/p>\n

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Most runoff from the streets of Torrance discharges directly to the Pacific Ocean via the storm drain system. Activities from landscaping, gardening and pest control can be major sources of storm water pollution, including pollutants that are of primary concur. These include trash from improper waste disposal, nutrients and bacteria from food wastes and landscape maintenance, and oil from vehicle fluids leaked on parking lots.<\/p>\n

Look for curbside catch basins and other storm drain inlets in and near the workplace. These should be labeled with stencils that say “NO DUMPING: DRAINS TO OCEAN.” All of us need to make sure that only clean storm drain water runoff is allowed to enter these inlets.
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\nPROBLEMS:\u00a0Landscaping and garden maintenance activities can be major contributors to ocean pollution. Soils, yard wastes, overwatering and garden chemicals become part of the urban runoff mix that winds its way through streets, gutters and storm drains before entering the ocean.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Poorly functioning sprinklers and overwatering, for example, waste water and increase the number of pollutants flowing into storm drains.<\/p>\n

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Fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are washed off lawns and landscaped areas. These chemicals not only kill garden invaders. They also harm useful insects, poison fish and contaminate ground and ocean water.<\/p>\n

Leaves, grass clippings and tree trimmings that are swept or blown into the street and gutter are also ocean polluters. These wastes clog catch basins, increasing the risk of flooding on your street, and carry garden chemicals into the ocean. As they decompose, they also absorb oxygen fish need to survive.
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\nSOLUTIONS: Best Management Practices that include the proper handling, storage and disposal of materials can prevent pollutants from entering the ocean through the storm drain system.<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. GENERAL LANDSCAPING TIPS<\/strong>
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