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Environmental Management
Stormwater Quality in Roanoke
The urban landscape has a direct connection to our local streams—our storm drains. Designed to keep our streets and parking lots from flooding, storm drains carry untreated stormwater directly to local streams, which flow into the Roanoke River. Stormwater from Roanoke can travel all the way to Albemarle Sound on the North Carolina coast. Stormwater can carry pollutants with it—such as litter, motor oil residue, dirt, lawn chemicals, pet waste, grass clippings and leaves—than run off the land and paved surfaces with stormwater.
City leaders are taking steps to protect the water quality of our streams for future generations. In March 2003, Roanoke applied for a Virginia Pollution Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. This permit, renewed every five years, will outline proactive steps the city will be taking to improve stormwater quality. The permit is federally mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
These steps include increasing erosion and sediment control at construction sites, developing an illegal dumping response system for public reporting, continuing the city’s aggressive street cleaning program, and ongoing public outreach and education. In addition, Clean Valley Council is partnering with the city and school groups to stencil the message “Dump No Waste, Drains to River” at storm drain inlets around town, to remind citizens to keep wastes from entering storm drains.
Tips for Improving Stormwater Quality in Roanoke
2006 Stormwater Guide
Publications on storm water quality in PDF format from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: (These documents require the free .)
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