Everything that is on the streets of your city has the potential to end up at the beach. Most of Los Angeles is covered with impermeable surfaces like parking lots, streets, and buildings. What happens when water hits an impermeable surface? Instead of infiltrating into the ground, water runs off the street, down the gutter and into the storm drain system.

The storm drain system is made up of catch basins, underground channels, pipes, and outfalls. It was created to prevent our cities from flooding by moving rain water from our streets out to the ocean as quickly as possible.

The problem with storm drains today is that it’s not just storm water entering the catch basins. As water runs off our streets it picks up pollution along the way—like cigarette butts, trash, animal waste and chemicals. Also, rain isn’t the only water flowing down the storm drain system. Runoff from washing our cars in the street, over-watering our yards, and hosing down sidewalks adds to the pollution entering the storm drain system.

Remember the storm drain system is separate from the sewage system. Sewage is dirty water from the drains inside your house and gets cleaned before going to the ocean. While some cities have combined sewage and storm drain systems (like San Francisco), here in Southern California, the systems are all separate, and that means that storm drain run off almost never gets cleaned before entering the ocean.

Here’s how you can keep storm water from polluting our rivers, creeks and ocean:

Keep trash out of catch basins
A catch basin is an entrance to the storm drain system. When a piece of trash goes through the catch basin, it goes through our creeks and rivers, and eventually reaches the ocean.

Report clogged catch basins
If too much trash enters a catch basin, the catch basin can clog, which causes our streets to flood. If you see a clogged catch basin, report it to the appropriate official (like the Department of Public Works) to help keep storm drains functioning. Find your City's Pollution Hotline

Scoop the poop
Animal waste contains many harmful pollutants and bacteria. When pet owners neglect to pick up after their pets, the waste makes its way to the ocean through the storm drain system. These pollutants can cause infections or disease to humans, animals, and plant life in the ocean. Remember, horses are pets too!

Cut down on pesticides and herbicides
Urban runoff can carry harmful pesticides into the aquatic ecosystem through storm drains. Since most pesticides biodegrade slowly, they can contaminate aquatic life for generations. Pesticides also accumulate through the food chain making sea animals toxic and dangerous to consume. Use non-toxic alternatives like composting and pulling weeds, and when you must use a pesticide or herbicide, use it sparingly and make sure to dispose of it properly.

Sweep
Don’t use water to clean sidewalks and driveways. Using water to clean surfaces pushes dirt, leaves, trash, and pollutants into the gutters which flow straight into the storm drain system. By sweeping and putting those leaves in the composter (and the trash in the garbage) we can all help to limit the amount of potential pollutants flowing into the ocean-- as well as conserve water.

Don’t let balloons go
When you release a balloon into the sky, the chances are that it will land in the ocean. Balloons are hazards when they enter the aquatic environment because they can look a great deal like sea jellies—a major source of food for many sea animals. Sea turtles, dolphins, whales, fish, and seabirds have been found with balloons in their stomachs. Animals can also get tangled up in balloons and balloon strings causing them harm or death. Be wary of “biodegradable balloons”. Though they’re made of rubber, and thus technically biodegradable, it can take hundreds of years for a balloon to biodegrade in the ocean.

Take your car to the car wash
Most car washes are required to clean and reuse water. Going to a car wash is a much better alternative than washing a car at home, which adds to urban runoff and consumes more water. If you need to wash your car at home, try to wash it on a lawn so that the water percolates into the ground, and doesn’t add to our stormwater problem.

Hold on to your butts
Use an ashtray for cigarette butts - Nearly 1 million cigarette butts are dropped by L.A. residents each month! The toxic chemicals in the filters of discarded cigarettes leak into the environment and slowly wash down through the storm drain system into the ocean. Plus, those Styrofoam filters end up floating in the ocean for a long, long time. In addition to harming or killing aquatic life, cigarette butts thrown out the car window can start brush fires. And, it’s a $300 fine for tossing a butt in the street!

Spread the word
Tell your friends and neighbors about storm drains and urban runoff. By talking to people about what you have learned, we can make a difference in the environment and help keep our oceans clean and safe for all.