Every time it rains, water hits the street, slips into the gutter, and moves through the storm drain straight to our creeks. That’s stormwater in action.
But here’s the part most people don’t see. Not all water in our creeks comes from rain. Everyday activities add to the flow. Overwatering your lawn, rinsing off a driveway, or washing your car can all send water, and whatever it picks up along the way, into the storm drain. That’s called non-stormwater runoff, and it matters more than you might think.
Often, stormwater and non-stormwater runoff contain pollutants that harm our creeks and streams, and the wildlife that live there. As rainwater and other discharges flow across the ground they pick up harmful contaminants like fertilizers, pesticides and dirt. When the rainwater hits our streets, the water mixes with waste oil, automotive fluids and plant debris. Unlike the wastewater we put down our sinks and toilets, stormwater flows to our waterways untreated.
While many of us are familiar with the problems associated with chemicals like waste oil and paint in our environment, many do not know that things like sediment and yard waste can hurt our streams. Sediment fills in streambeds and disrupts fish spawning. Organic material like grass clippings disturbs the delicate balance of oxygen available to fish in the streams
Stormwater pollution is now considered the most significant source of water pollution in our country. Past water pollution control efforts were directed at industrial sources and good progress has been made to reduce pollution from these sources. Now, residential and business activities impact water quality more than industrial operations.
As land development increases, more area is paved and less rainwater can soak into the ground. This means there are more opportunities for stormwater, and the pollutants it carries, to enter our waterways. Therefore, urban activities create stormwater pollution that must be prevented or minimized.
In compliance with state and federal requirements, the City of Roseville has developed a stormwater management program. Under this program, the City educates and involves the community in stormwater pollution prevention, regulates stormwater run-off from construction sites, investigates non-stormwater discharges and reduces non-stormwater run-off from its own municipal operations.
If you observe any occurrences of stormwater violations or are unsure of something that you see going down a storm drain, call our Stormwater Hotline at (916) 746-1000 to report it. Your call will be directed to the City of Roseville's Police Department's non-emergency dispatch, where the information will be collected by City staff.
You will be asked for certain information about the incident reported such as the location, the substance description, as well as the current status of the situation. Your call can be made anonymous if requested. Reports of any stormwater-related incidents are welcome and help the City of Roseville to protect its creeks using the public's eyes. Just remember, nothing but rain should go down a storm drain!
Customers who would like to discharge their pool water must obtain a pool discharge permit ($40 fee) for safe and seamless disposal into the sanitary sewer connection outside your home.
Please provide 3-5 business days before your desired draining date for city staff to process and adequately evaluate your pool discharge permit.
To get started, please contact us by email or phone to request this
service:
Email: wastewater@roseville.ca.us
Phone: (916) 774-5750
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