Think Blue Massachusetts Tips

What we do on land affects the water that we all love to swim and spend time in. When it rains, or when snow melts, pollution in storm drains is carried to our rivers, beaches, and bays. We can all make a difference!

Learn more about the problems posed by stormwater pollution, then get some tips on how to stem the tide of stormwater pollution:

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Stormwater Pollution Facts

Bacteria
Stormwater runoff flows off of our streets, driveways, and yards and can contain bacteria from pet and wildlife feces and illegally connected sanitary sewers. High bacteria levels from sewage and runoff can cause sickness, such as diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, and typhoid fever and infections in open wounds. High bacteria levels can also contaminate seafood. In 2004, nationwide, 85 percent of closing and advisory days stemmed from monitoring that revealed high levels of bacteria associated with fecal contamination. Beachgoers swimming near storm drains had a 57 percent greater incidence of fever than those swimming farther away. A study in California found an increased risk of illness, including such symptoms as fever, chills, ear discharge, diarrhea, nausea and respiratory illnesses for swimmers bathing near storm drains. Call about your beach: Massachusetts’ Department of Conservation and Recreation Beaches Hotline, 617-626-4972.

Fertilizer, Pesticides and Herbicides
Fertilizer causes excessive algal growth in waterways, reducing oxygen available to aquatic plants and wildlife. Phosphorous in detergent has the same effect. Pesticides and herbicides accumulate in the food chain, contaminating shellfish and marine mammals. An average acre of well maintained urban lawn is estimated to receive an input of five to seven pounds of pesticides. These chemicals can pose a danger if they run off of the lawn during a rain storm and are then carried into nearby storm drains and flow to our rivers, beaches, and bays.

Sediment and Lawn Clippings
Soil, sediment, and construction waste that runs to storm drains can harm plants and animals in water bodies. Sediments cloud water, reducing healthy growth and impairing habitats critical for water wildlife. Grass, leaves, and lawn clippings that make their way to waterways also cloud water, reducing sunlight in the water and the quality of water habitats.

Motor Oil
Oil coming from road surfaces and motor repair is toxic to aquatic organisms. A gallon of oil can cause an eight-acre oil slick. An average oil change uses five quarts; the oil from one oil change can contaminate a million gallons of drinking water. Every year oily road runoff from a city of 5 million (size of Boston metropolitan area extending from NH to Worcester) could contain as much oil as one large tanker spill.

Litter
Litter, which travels through storm drains to our rivers, beaches, and bays, ruins aesthetics and is harmful to wildlife. Plastic pieces have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds, whales, and other marine creatures that mistake them as food, swallowing harmful plastic and toxic chemicals. Ingestion of plastic cigarette filters and cigarette butts is a threat to wildlife that can lead to starvation or malnutrition if the ingested items block the intestinal tract and prevent digestion. Sometimes even young children pick up and ingest cigarette butts. Cigarette butts and filters can take up to 20 years to decompose.

Soap
The phosphate from soap used in car washing hurts fish gills and fish skin. Phosphate also has the same effect as fertilizer in waterways, decreasing available oxygen for water wildlife.

Permeable Surfaces
A parking lot sheds 16 times the amount of water that a meadow does. That excess water flows into local water bodies through storm drains carrying any pollutants found on the parking lot surface.

Air Pollution
Pollution that makes its way to the air eventually is deposited in our waterways when it rains. Reducing air pollution reduces the amount of pollution in our water.