The city of Phoenix Water Services Dept. Environmental Services Division invites residents to learn about the City of Phoenix Stormwater Management Program during the Fifth Annual Stormwater Awareness Week next week, Jan. 22 -28.

Stormwater Awareness Week is an annual regional effort to teach simple everyday actions to reduce stormwater pollution. 

What is stormwater pollution?

In Phoenix, stormwater is rainwater that flows over roads and through gutters and does not soak into the ground. This stormwater enters storm drain pipes, which carry the water to protected surface waters like the Salt River or Skunk Creek. Unlike water we use to flush our toilets, stormwater does not go to a treatment plant. It flows from the storm drains untreated right into rivers and washes. 

As stormwater flows across areas like roads and parking lots and into our storm drains, it can pick up pollutants like oil and pet waste and carry them into our washes and rivers. This creates significant water quality challenges. Because pollutants can enter surface waters through our storm drain system, the city is required to have a Clean Water Act MS4 permit from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to operate that system.

What the City does to prevent Stormwater Pollution?

Several Phoenix departments work together to support the MS4 permit through the Stormwater Management Program including Phoenix Water Services, Office of Planning and Development, Office of Environment Programs and the Street Transportation Dept. 

New for 2024, the program will add storm drain management tools and a database to help manage this complex permit, which uses infrastructure of 760 outfalls where rain flows, 80 of which are located along the Salt River. Additionally, a new stormwater post-construction program required by the permit allows owner-led inspections to minimize staffing costs.

"Stormwater Awareness Week encourages our community members to take everyday actions to help protect the quality of our water,” stated Jennifer Calles, Deputy Water Services Director in a news release. “With our separate systems for stormwater and wastewater, it’s important to remember that stormwater doesn’t get treated and flows directly to nearby washes and retention basins, infiltrating the soil, making it imperative that we work daily to keep our water system clean.”

How can residents participate in Stormwater Awareness Week?

Since the campaign's initial launch in 2019, more Valley municipalities and government agencies have participated in the weeklong event. Be on the lookout for billboards, social media posts, and radio ads promoting Stormwater Awareness Week, encouraging the public to get involved by attending the virtual workshop or taking steps to reduce stormwater pollution. The virtual workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 24, at noon to discuss the City’s Stormwater Management Program and our activities to reduce stormwater pollution. Attendees are required to register in advance to participate. 

Additionally, residents are asked to take an annual survey to measure their knowledge about the subject and determine the educational focus for the year. 

Simple actions to reduce stormwater pollution include: 

• Properly disposing of trash, recyclables, and chemicals like detergent, paint, medications, etc.
• Recycling motor oil and maintaining your vehicle to prevent leaks
• Cleaning up after your pet
• Using lawn chemicals sparingly and always following manufacturers’ directions
• Properly disposing of leftover paint and household chemicals at a household hazardous waste event
• And please remember – only rain in the storm drain

To learn more about the City of Phoenix Water Services Department Stormwater Awareness Week and what you can do as an individual or business to prevent stormwater pollution, please visit phoenix.gov/stormwater. 

Editor’s note: The above was republished from a city of Phoenix news release.