Stormwater Smart
- Follow directions on pesticides and fertilizers, (measure, do not estimate amounts) and do not use if rain is predicted within 48 hours.
- Water your lawn and garden by hand to control the amount of water you use.
- Set irrigation systems to reflect seasonal water needs. If water flows off your yard and onto your driveway or sidewalk, your system is over-watering.
- Mulch grass clippings or leave them on the lawn. If necessary, dispose in a green waste container.
- Prevent urban runoff by taking your car to a commercial car wash whenever possible.
- When cleaning around the house choose soaps, cleaners, or detergents labeled “non-toxic,” “phosphate free” or “biodegradable.”
- When cleaning your car, shake floor mats into a trash can or vacuum to clean.
- Take your vehicle to a commercial carwash where the washwater is recycled and sent to the sanitation district.
- Use a nozzle to turn off water when not actively washing down your car.
- Monitor vehicles for leaks and place pans under leaks. Keep your car well maintained to stop and prevent leaks.
- Use cat litter or other absorbents and sweep to remove liquids left by vehicles or any other kind of outdoor “wet spill.”
- Perform automobile repair and maintenance under a covered area and use drip pans or plastic sheeting to keep spills and waste material from reaching storm drains.
- Never pour oil or antifreeze in the street, gutter or storm drains. Recycle these substances at a service station or used oil recycling center.
- Store household hazardous waste (HHW) in closed, labeled containers inside or under a cover and dispose of them at an HHW collection center.
- Do not hose down your driveway, sidewalk or patio. Sweep up debris and dispose of it in the trash.
- Always pick up after your pet. Flush waste down the toilet or dispose of it in the trash.
- Bathe pets indoors or have them professionally groomed.
Low Impact Development and Water Conservation
Low Impact Development (LID) is a method of development that seeks to maintain the natural hydrological character of an area. LID provides a more sustainable and pollution-preventative approach to water management. Water can carry pollutants through the storm drain system to Orange County waterways; proper use of LID techniques can reduce the amount of water flowing into channels that may also transport pollutants.
The key to LID is simple – keep water from leaving a site or property by slowing the flow, retaining onsite and encouraging infiltration. LID can involve large scale systems in new development, but can also include small changes to your own backyard. Implementing modifications to your lawn or garden can reduce pollution in our environment, conserve water and reduce your water bill. For examples of what you can do in your backyard, please consult the Homeowners Guide for Sustainable Water Use on this page.
New water quality regulations for Orange County require implementation of LID in larger new developments and encourage implementation of LID and other sustainable practices in existing residential areas. In accordance with these regulations, all land development and significant redevelopment projects over a certain size will be required to examine the use of LID best management practices (BMPs) as part of the overall site design. These requirements will take effect in late summer 2011. Please visit our Model Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) page for more information about the land development process in Orange County and to view relevant documentation.
Water conservation through use of LID techniques and other methods not only reduces your water consumption and saves water for other uses, it also prevents pollutants from entering waterways. For more information about other ways you can save water, please visit the Better Gardening Page of this website, UC Cooperative Extension and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California – Be Water Wise.
LID and water conservative demonstration landscape at the South Coast Research & Extension Center in Irvine. Photo courtesy of UC Cooperative Extension
