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Before we look at runoff pollution, we should look at the meaning of a few words: Stormwater - Rain or melted snow. Runoff - Rain or melted snow that flows along the surface of the ground. Wastewater - Used water from toilets, showers, laundry, and other uses in our homes. Storm Sewers Collect runoff and keep it separate from wastewater. Sanitary Sewers Collect wastewater and keep it separate from runoff. Combined Sewers - Older sewers that collect and mix runoff with wastewater. Sewage Treatment Plant - Cleans wastewater and runoff from sanitary and combined sewers before releasing it into Hamilton Harbour. Sewage Treatment Bypasses - Occurs when the sewage treatment plant receives too much wastewater. This leads to partially treated or untreated wastewater being released into Hamilton Harbour. Runoff occurs when it rains or when snow melts. Runoff is directed into storm sewers by downspouts, driveways, roads, sidewalks, roofs, decks and other hard surfaces. As runoff travels from downspouts and across lawns, gardens, and hard surfaces, it can become polluted. Some of the pollutants include: motor oil, antifreeze, salt, bacteria from pet waste, chemical pesticides, fertilizers, and soil. Storm sewers often release runoff into surface waters like rivers, creeks and lakes. This type of runoff is untreated and can pollute surface water. Sometimes storm sewers are linked to combined sewers. This mixes runoff with sewage and adds to the amount of wastewater that the sewage treatment plant must clean. This process can lead to sewage treatment bypasses. For example, many older Hamilton neighbourhoods have downspouts that are connected directly to combined sewers, leading to increased wastewater and possible sewage treatment bypasses. In newer neighbourhoods, runoff enters storm sewers. This runoff may become polluted and released untreated into surface water.
There are examples of properties from all over the world that capture 100% of their stormwater.
The City of Maplewood, Minnesota uses rain gardens instead of curbs and sewers to capture stormwater. Every year 10 million square metres of green roof is installed in Germany.