Help Keep Clearwater's Stormwater Clean
Fitch Affirms Clearwater's AAA Stormwater Rating
Only rain should go down the drain. Stormwater is the water that runs off the land during and after rains. It goes from inlets, pipes and channels directly into our local waterways. Stormwater carries debris, soil, chemicals, litter on land surfaces, and it eventually ends up in the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa Bay and the world’s oceans. Clearwater is a coastal city, so making sure we lessen our impacts on stormwater pollution is so important.
How You Can Help
Your actions at home, work, school or at play can help keep Clearwater’s waterways clean, bright and beautiful.
At Home
- Use proper yard care and greenscaping techniques to reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides.
- Use fertilizers sparingly and avoid fertilizing before a rainstorm. Follow Pinellas County’s fertilizer ban from June 1 to Sept. 30 each year.
- Consider building a rain garden to minimize stormwater runoff.
- Never blow or dispose of leaves and mulch into storm drains. Grass clippings must be contained, composted or properly disposed of and must not be piled 50 feet from a stream or near storm drains.
- Pick up pet waste even in own yard. It can be a major source of bacteria and excess nutrients that can cause algae blooms, like Red Tide, in local waterways.
- Take your expired or unused medications to a drug-take-back event or throw them away. Do not flush them down the toilet.
- Prevent soapy and oily water from entering storm drains when washing your car at home; use soap sparingly. Try to washing on a grassy or gravel area instead.
- Drop off your cooking fats, oils and greases at the Clearwater Solid Waste Complex, 1700 N. Hercules Ave., for repurposing. Never pour them down the drain.
At Work or School
- Encourage your workplace or school to prohibit single-use plastics to reduce trash being blown off in a rainstorm and ending up in local waterways.
- Don’t throw food and beverage waste into storm drains.
- If your school is having a chalk art activity, keep chalk art at least 50 feet from any stream or storm drain. Cover the drains with tarps, if needed, when cleaning the art.
- If your workplace deals with construction waste or chemicals, such as paints, solvents and detergents, store them under cover when not in use or before the rain.
At Play
- Say no to single-use plastics, and use your own reusable bottles and containers.
- Proper fishing line disposal is key to protecting coastal bird species.
- Pick up litter as you see it. You might be the last barrier of defense, before litter ends up in the stormwater system or in waterways.
- Volunteer at cleanups or mangrove plantings to take care of the coastal environment. Visit MyClearwater.com/Volunteer to discover opportunities to help.
- Appreciate mangroves! Not only do they make wonderful habitats for coastal wildlife above and below the water, but they also act as powerful carbon storage to reduce carbon pollution.
- Use reef-friendly sunscreen to reduce toxic chemicals that get into the water and harm marine animals.
Bag It Up and Throw It Out
It’s no fun picking up dog waste or stepping in it. But what’s worse than that is swimming in it, fishing in it, or drinking it.
Research shows that up to 95 percent of fecal coliform in urban stormwater comes from pet waste, which washes from the grass to lakes, ponds, creeks, bays and beaches when it rains. When pet waste gets into our waterways, harmful bacteria can make people sick and cause algae blooms that suffocate fish and other aquatic life.
Everyone should clean up after their pets. Flushing your pet's waste down the toilet is best, so it can be treated at a sewage treatment plant. However, bagging it and placing it in the trash is also acceptable. Plastic grocery bags make dog waste disposal easy.
Keep Clearwater Bright and Beautiful
It's easier to do yard work and keep your property neat and clean during the cooler months. Cleaning a driveway, a yard, patio or street gutters of dead leaves can make an enormous impact on how a neighborhood looks to others.
When manicuring your lawn, be sure to properly dispose of grass clippings, leaves and other vegetative debris. Remember that stormwater flows directly into ponds, lakes, rivers and bays. Because water runs off our yards, it is important to reduce the amount of pollutants on site.
Trash, debris and pollutants in yards – such as fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides – can wash into the stormwater system, polluting the environment and causing blockages in storm pipes. Substances such as detergents, motor oil or clippings from chemical-treated grass are dangerous to local waterways.
Get a “Wildlife Protector Squad” Sticker Today
Get limited “Wildlife Protector Squad” stickers for you and your friends. Show your support for coastal wildlife and share your knowledge on reducing stormwater pollution with people around you. Visit the following city facilities to get a sticker. Limited quantities are available, while supplies last.
Libraries:
- Main Library, 100 N. Osceola Ave.
- Beach Library, 69 Bay Esplanade
- North Greenwood Library, 905 N. MLK Jr. Ave.
- Countryside Library, 2642 Sabal Springs Drive
- East Community Library, 2465 Drew St.
Recreation Centers:
- Ross Norton, 1426 S. MLK Jr. Ave.
- Long Center, 1501 N. Belcher Road
- Morningside, 2400 Harn Blvd.
- North Greenwood, 905 N. MLK Jr. Ave.
- Moccasin Lake Nature Park, 2750 Park Trail Lane
Marinas:
- Beach Marina Office, 25 Causeway Blvd.
- Harbor Marina, 210 Drew St.
The Protect Our Beaches Stormwater Youth Art Contest/Exhibition
Last year, children and teens were invited to submit their artistic masterpieces that convey the harm that litter can cause to our environment and the animals that call our beach home. Eight works of art were selected, and their artwork was displayed in various high visibility areas around the city. The exhibit has concluded.
This stormwater outreach and education program was funded by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and Florida Department of Transportation.
