See http://www.stormh2o.com/ for more information on stormwater subjects.

The City of Cumming has adopted the “No Dumping – Drains To Creek” storm drain marker.

PLEASE DO NOT DUMP LAWN TRIMMING, GRASS, STICKS, DEBRIS, CHEMICALS, OR USED MOTOR OIL IN A STORM DRAIN!!!!!

Car Washing

I want to wash my car. Is there anything I can do to prevent the wash water, soap, oil, and debris from washing into the storm drain and contaminating our local streams?

If you want to wash your car at home and want to protect local streams, wash your car on a grassed lawn. When you wash your car on a well-established lawn, you will accomplish three things:

  • The lawn will get watered
  • Your car will get washed.
  • Chemicals will be kept out of local streams because the lawn soaks up the chemicals from the soap and those particles that are washed from the car.

Probably the most environmentally friendly option would be to go to a commercial car wash. Most commercial car washing facilities are equipped with a grease and grit separator and a wash water recycling system. The wash water is discharged into the City’s Sanitary Sewer System, where it eventually reaches the City’s Advanced Water Reclamation Facility (AWRF) where it is treated before being released to Big Creek.

Want to know more about Storm Water Runoff? Click here for a PDF copy of the City’s storm water pamphletAfter the Storm – A Citizen’s Guide to Understanding Storm Water”. The first section of the pamphlet may appear to be upside down. After you download the document, scroll down and you will be able to read the material.

Want to test your knowledge about storm water runoff? Click here for a copy of the EPA’s Storm Water Cross Word Puzzle!

Click Here for the EPA’s poster “Storm Water and the Construction Industry”. This poster explains some of the basics about maintaining BMPs or “Best Management Practices” These BMPs include vegetative buffers, silt fencing, site stabilization and more!

Join the City of Cumming during their annual Rivers Alive stream cleanup coming in October 2006. Call Barbara Pitts at (770) 781-2020 or go online towww.riversalive.org for more information. Or go online to find a list of existing activities in your area