About Water Quality

What is stormwater and why is it important?
Stormwater is water that accumulates on land as a result of storms, and can include runoff from urban areas such as roads and roofs. Stormwater from rain or melting snow replenishes our sources of drinking water – lakes, streams and groundwater. The cleanliness of our stormwater is vital to our quality of life and to the quality of our drinking and recreational waters.

Everyone in Johnson County -- including you -- has an important role to play in keeping our stormwater – and ultimately all our local water resources -- free of harmful pollutants and help Johnson County remain a sustainable community with a plentiful and safe water supply.

The Storm Drainage System and How It Works
The storm drainage system comprises many storm drains, pipes and channels. Storm drains are openings in streets or curbs that are sometimes covered with metal grates. The storm drains allow rain and melting snow to move from the streets into a network of manmade pipes and natural channels. When water flows across yards, streets and other surfaces, it picks up contaminants and carries the runoff untreated to a natural body of water. Dumping wastes into a storm drain or on the ground directly affects the environment, damaging potential sources of drinking water and recreational waters and endangering wildlife and habitat.

Potential Hazards
Stormwater washes natural and man-made materials into the storm drains where it flows untreated into our streams, rivers, lakes and groundwater. These materials are nothing you would want to drink or splash in:

• Oil
• Grease
• Tire residue
• Anti-freeze
• Petroleum products
• Litter
• Fertilizer
• Weed killer from yards
• Grass clippings
• Leaves and other yard waste
• Animal wastes
• Cigarette butts
• Cleaning supplies
• Paint
• Solvents
• Sediment (from construction sites)
• Other microorganisms

Effects of Stormwater Pollution
Even a simple spring shower can compromise the quality of our waters. Something as common as pet waste, or every day activities, such as washing your car or fertilizing your lawn, can pollute waterways.

Stormwater pollution may:

• Lead to increased risk of disease and harm to individuals, particularly children, who come into contact with the water
• Degrade the quality of water we use for drinking, irrigation, recreation and industry
• Damage the natural ecosystems of rivers, streams, lakes and wetlands
• Clog storm drains with sediment and trash and require more maintenance
• Threaten the survival of plants and animals

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JOHNSON COUNTY STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
1800 W. 56 Highway
Olathe, KS 66061
Phone: (913) 715-8333
Fax: (913) 715-2453