How can you prevent stormwater runoff from polluting water sources?

In my experience, in urban areas, the impact of population growth is stressing the availability of green/pervious areas. Therefore, while solutions like Best Management Practices, additional swales, etc., are all good, it is also critical to analyze the overall ratios of previous to impervious areas in the region. Remote Sensing technologies can easily inform this variable. Secondly, for long-term solutions and preservation of water quality of surface water bodies, it is also important to revisit existing zoning regulations to ensure that appropriate measures are taken (for example, retaining the first one inch of runoff on the property), rainwater harvesting, etc., is done. Finally, the incentivization of developers will go a long way!

Green infrastructure is an innovative approach to managing stormwater in urban areas. This includes the use of various green technologies such as rain gardens, permeable pavements, green roofs and vegetative waves to absorb and filter rainfall. This area of urban planning helps reduce the burden on storm drains and prevent flooding, while also promoting local biodiversity, air and water quality, and overall aesthetics. Adoption of green infrastructure can increase the value of properties and improve the quality of life in sustainable ways.

Low Impact Development (LIDs) features contribute to prevent rainfall runoff such as sheetflows formation under the post Development condition therefore the flow doesn't mixed with ground surface contaminants. By applying these features we can capture the rainfall and infiltrate it locally in order to mimic the hydrological cycle which helps to maintain the local water balance as well. Green infrastructures also contribute to reduce the end pipe systems volume such as storm sewer and ponds.

Preventing stormwater runoff pollution involves implementing green infrastructure practices such as rain gardens, permeable pavements, green roofs, and constructed wetlands. These methods enhance infiltration, capture pollutants, and reduce runoff volume. Additionally, maintaining vegetative buffers along waterways, adopting rainwater harvesting systems, and enforcing stringent urban planning and land use policies can significantly mitigate the impact of stormwater runoff on water sources, thereby preserving water quality and ecosystem health.

Urbanization increases impervious areas and compromises natural infiltration of rainfall. More rainfall run off and flooding happens in post development condition. Best management practices engineering features such as wet and dry ponds and storm sewers help us to capture the excess flow, transfer and retain it until released in lower flow and infiltrate the water eventually. This way we can prevent flooding consequences such as erosion and sediment and basement flooding. By the way such systems don't mimic hydrological cycle completely and local infiltration doesn't happen which means we are not keeping water ballance perfectly. Applying LIDs features help us to improve natural infiltration and reducing engineering features size.

Rain barrels and cisterns capture rainwater for reuse, reducing runoff. Green streets, with vegetation and permeable surfaces, slow and filter stormwater. Porous pavements enable water to permeate the ground, mitigating runoff. Tree planting programs and urban green spaces contribute to natural water absorption. Educational efforts and incentive programs encourage sustainable practices. Technology aids in real-time monitoring and data-driven solutions. Multi-functional landscaping serves as both an aesthetic and stormwater management tool. Nature-based solutions promote sustainable land use. Partnerships and collaborations amplify the effectiveness of management efforts, fostering a holistic approach to environmental sustainability.

In addition by implementing Low Impact Development features such as grass swales, green roofs, permeable pavements and rainfall harvesting we not only reduce the size of the end pipe systems such as minor systems and ponds but also we increase local infiltration which improves the water balance. Such systems cause less rainfall runoff which means reduction in flooding erosion and sediment problems. The locally infiltration is a natural water purification as well. Also it is of great help to increase vegetation in cities and encourage homeowners to go with green roofs technology as well as planting and growing barns in their backyards instead of doing landscaping with concrete or bricks that reduces pervious area significantly.

Some urban area with high intensity local rainfall are subject to be located in flood hazardous area that the property is contributing with higher volume run off by increasing imperviousness.Therefore some municipalities mandate property owners or builders to contribute with storm water management plans like LID features. They may predict features such as permeable pavements, rainfall harvesting, detention ponds and any other compatible feature to their property in design drawings.

In order to enhance public knowledge and collaboration about stormwater management first step is providing awareness of low impact development and green infrastructure benefits for the community and environment via public events, informative campaigns and local workshops. Also in order to encourage them to collaborate with projects engage them in designing and selecting solutions. This kind of participation increase the sense of ownership in community. Providing Incentives for people who install LIDs on their properties could encourage them to collaborate with STM programs.

Government have to take lead on this by collaborating with Public , Industries and then only we can success on this, only things its require to monitor each zone by forming small group then only awarness will reach everyone and we can have control over on this, otherwise we cannot control the generation of storm warm runoff pollutants, Implement strict regulation why because stormwater runoff happening due to public and industries.

Define the STM and LID systems installation goals and monitor to check criterias that demonstrate the outcome. The main purpose of these systems could basically be reducing the run off quantities, enhancing infiltration and reducing flooding and sediment. Plan monitoring and do measurements in order to check run of water quantities, infiltration rate and soil moisture and any other required tests. Analyze collected data, review data trends to check if you have achieved to the projects objectives or not.

We will always experience stormwater runoffs regardless of the level of controls instituted. Stormwater runoff will likely persist as long as it continues to rain. Thus, despite regulations and controls, there will still be stormwater runoff potentially polluting water systems. To address this issue, our objective is to minimize the potential for pollution from stormwater runoff. This can be achieved by preventing indiscriminate waste disposal or the discharge of waste into the environment, thereby averting the transportation of waste into the water system through runoff. Additionally, drainage ditches with riprap, ditch checks, or sedimentation ponds can be employed to reduce the pollution load in stormwater runoffs.