Reducing stormwater pollution is everyone’s responsibility to help keep our lakes, rivers, streams, and other waterways clean and pristine.
Stormwater pollution is any pollution from chemicals and other materials that come from homes and lawns, streets, parking lots, industrial sites, and construction sites that are washed into storm drains and end up in our waterways. This water is usually untreated, unlike water from drains in buildings and toilets, and it is generally discharged into the nearest lake, stream, bay, or ocean. Our waterways are then polluted by trash, chemicals, bacteria, fertilizers, pesticides, and more. This is dangerous for wildlife, swimmers, and the environment as a whole. It is everyone’s responsibility to keep pollution out of storm drains, even on a construction site. See how to do your part to reduce stormwater pollution on the job site.
Reducing Stormwater Pollution
It’s important on every worksite to make sure to minimize polluting stormwater runoff. When on the jobsite, make sure to:
- Put all litter, including cigarette butts, in trash cans and not on the ground.
- Keep soil disturbances and the removal of trees and other plants to a minimum.
- Never dump any chemicals, such as paints, oils, solvents, and fuels, onto the ground or into sewers.
- Ensure that vehicles and machinery are not leaking oils and fuels.
- Cover mounds of dirt and any other types of fill with tarps to reduce runoff during rain.
- Utilize provided bathroom facilities.
- Follow all regulations on the proper treatment of water that has collected on the work site.
- Utilize best management procedures in any instance where chemicals or other materials are spilled onto the ground.
- Ensure all workers understand the expectations and ramifications of reducing stormwater pollution.
In many cases, national, state, and local regulations govern the treatment of a worksite from an environmental standpoint. Companies that are found to have polluted an area—either the land or water—can be held liable for the cleanup.
Tucker Paving has enjoyed over 25 years in the asphalt and concrete paving industry, and the environment has and always will be one of our leading priorities! Contact us online, or call us at (863) 299-2262, for help with your asphalt or concrete paving project!