Billboard Education Program – Pollution Prevention
Storm Water Management Authority, Inc. launched its new billboard education campaign throughout Jefferson County, Alabama in Fall of 2002. Unlike pollution from industry or sewage treatment facilities, which is caused by a discrete number of sources, stormwater pollution is caused by the daily activities of people everywhere. It is a myth that pollution of our rivers and bays is caused mainly by industry or sewage. Most is caused by the everyday activities of people in our city and suburbs. Individuals, businesses, local governments and other community organizations all have a role in preventing pollution before it gets into our drains and waterways where it is extremely difficult to remove. Rainwater runs off streets, lawns, farms, and construction and industrial sites and picks up fertilizers, dirt, pesticides, oil and grease, and many other pollutants on the way to our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. Stormwater runoff is our most common cause of water pollution.
Everyone can do their part in preventing pollution in their community. Stormwater pollution is caused by so many different activities, traditional regulatory controls will only go so far and because of this, the billboard campaign targeted the two most common types of household consumer wastes, oil containers and paint cans. The Fall 2002 Billboard Campaign focused on the improper disposal of used motor oil containers by depicting a discarded motor oil container floating in a stream. Used automotive fluids, such as motor oil, that are poured down storm drains or that drip onto the street, flow in waterways untreated and harm or kill underwater vegetation and aquatic life. One quart of oil can pollute up to 250,000 gallons of water.
The Spring 2003 Billboard Campaign focused on the improper disposal of paint cans by depicting a discarded paint can floating in a pond where children are swimming and playing. Since all paints, solvents, and adhesives contain chemicals that are harmful to wildlife and humans, that is why proper handling and disposal of these products is so important.
Spring is a great time to focus on stormwater (April showers...) and this year, as Phase II of the NPDES stormwater regulations are into effect, there is even more reason to get the word out.
Associated Files & Documents:
Partners for Clean Water
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The Storm Water Management Authority, Inc. and Alabama Water Watch (SWMA/AWW) have begun a partnership that promises to be beneficial to both, with monitors being trained to assist in the detection of illicit discharges into Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) within the authority’s jurisdiction. There have been 3236 storm sewer out falls identified. Of those out falls, 158 screening points have been selected by the SWMA inspection staff to be monitored and screened for selected parameters prior to entering major receiving waters. SWMA would like AWW monitors to test sites near these screening points on a monthly basis, providing a better picture of overall stream health. The water bodies on which the monitors will be working are, Village Creek, Valley Creek, Five Mile Creek, Turkey Creek, Shades Creek The Locust Fork of the Warrior River, Little Cahaba River, Cahaba River and their tributaries. Monitors will be asked to meet required guidelines as set forth by SWMA and AWW.
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Associated Files & Documents:
| File Title |
Date Posted |
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| Partners for Clean Water - (Adobe Acrobat) |
3/28/2002 |
DOWNLOAD-0.59Mb |
| Partners for Clean Water - (MS Word 2000) |
3/28/2002 |
DOWNLOAD-1.93Mb |
Recipes For Alternatives To Household Chemicals
How to make environmentally safe alternatives to many household chemicals.
Associated Files & Documents:
| File Title |
Date Posted |
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| Recipes For Alternatives To Household Chemicals - (Adobe Acrobat) |
3/27/2002 |
DOWNLOAD-0.7Mb |
| Recipes For Alternatives To Household Chemicals - (MS Word 2000) |
3/27/2002 |
DOWNLOAD-1.08Mb |
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