What is your New Years Resolution?
Exercising? Spending more time with family? Exploring Roanoke's great outdoors? Volunteering? Dieting?
At Roanoke Stormwater, we are keeping the City of Roanoke's waterways on a diet, a "pollution diet" that is.
And you can help us keep them on track!
(No cheating on this one)
The Roanoke River and 11 of the 13 tributaries are currently impaired for exceeding safe bacterial (E.coli), sediment, temperature and PCB levels. All surface waters that do not meet water quality standards are placed on a 303(d) list impaired water list as mandated under the Clean Water Act. All impaired waters must have a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) or "pollution diet" that establishes the limit of pollutants that a surface water body can receive daily and still meet water quality standards.The primary pollutant for most of the tributaries is bacteria (E. coli) that comes from pet waste, non-functioning septic and sewer systems, agriculture, and natural sources, like wildlife.
The Stormwater Division has created TMDL Action Plans outlining how it will meet the TMDL pollution reduction diet and work toward delisting our impaired streams. But we can't do it alone! Community engagement in this process is vital to successful delisting of our streams. Every person's actions count!
Here are some helpful tips to remember:
Learn more here about stormwater pollution and how you can help!