Storm Water Outreach Alliance

Rainstorm PSA

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Why? PSA

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 2, 2006
CONTACT: Joan Bortnem, (605)-773-3098

Storm Water Awareness

PIERRE, SD- Have you ever washed out a paint brush in the street and wondered where the paint would go? What happens when fertilizer runs off your driveway? The Storm Water Outreach Alliance is hoping to answer these questions through a statewide radio Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign which will run between Monday, July 31 and Saturday, August 12.

The campaign explains that storm water flows over the land surface, picks up pollutants and eventually drains into storm sewer systems. There is no treatment of storm water before it discharges to the river, creek or lake. Pollutants accumulating in storm drains, flow to local water bodies and impact water quality. The ultimate goal of the campaign is to get local citizens thinking about their own attitudes, behaviors and practices and how they affect non point source pollution.

Many of our daily activities cause storm water pollution. Rainwater and snowmelt run off streets, construction sites, parking lots and industrial areas. People who apply or spill excess fertilizer onto driveways and sidewalks contribute to storm water pollution. People who change the oil in their car and let it drain into the gutter also add to pollution. This type of pollution is called nonpoint source pollution. Everything that goes to the gutter will eventually drain into rivers, streams, lakes and eventually into the water we drink and swim in.

South Dakotans can help prevent storm water pollution by following some simple practices:

Recycle used oil and unused paint
Properly dispose of pet waste, trash and litter
Follow label directions when using pesticides and fertilizer
Apply lawn and garden chemicals on still days when rain is not forecast
Sweep driveways and sidewalks instead of washing down with a hose
Control erosion and runoff from construction sites
Wash vehicles on lawns or use a commercial carwash

The Storm Water Outreach Alliance is comprised of South Dakota's Storm Water Phase II agencies of Aberdeen, Brookings, Huron, Mitchell, North Sioux City, Pierre, Rapid City, Spearfish, Sturgis, Sioux Falls, Vermillion, Watertown, and Yankton, Pennington County and the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT). Additional funding has been provided through a grant received from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), administered by the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (SD DENR) (www.state.sd.us/denr) and the South Dakota Discovery Center and Aquarium www.sd-discovery.com .

For more information about preventing storm water pollution, contact your community Public Works Department or the Storm Water Outreach Alliance website at www.sdstorm water.org. A pollution prevention guide for citizens will be available on the website after September 15, 2006.