Why Should I Care About Stormwater?

Stormwater, like its name suggests, generally refers to precipitation, though it can also denote snowmelt and other runoff. If stormwater is unable to be absorbed by green infrastructure or captured, then it can lead to immediate problems like ponding on roads or flooding. Areas impacted by floods see an uptick in traffic accidents, power outages, erosion, and even waterborne diseases. Floods create habitats for mosquitoes, contributing to rises in other illnesses, while other animal habitats are often destroyed, leading to unexpected guests like worms and fish invading your house!

Flooding carries clear consequences for people and their safety. But the near-invisible bacteria and chemicals that lurk inside the floodwaters can be even deadlier: as a byproduct of increased runoff, there is an increase in nonpoint source pollution. In other words, because there is too much water to be absorbed, it travels and takes contaminants with it, such as fertilizers, animal waste, sediment, and pesticides, ultimately transporting them to our water supply. Urban stormwater tends to be more polluted than rural areas due to more impervious surfaces, risking the health and safety of both humans and animals that come into contact with this contaminated water.

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Most places’ stormwater infrastructure is underequipped to deal with all the stormwater we have been seeing lately-- not only is the amount of rainfall increasing, but the frequency and damage of extreme one-day events has escalated, too. Many places still rely on a combined sewer system, which can easily get overwhelmed in heavy storms and cause millions of gallons of sewage to be discharged in waterways, most recently witnessed with Hurricane Debby. Events like this limit recreational activities, like swimming and boating, and can even harm subsistence fishing, affecting many people in different ways.

However, stormwater can be our savior, if we can harvest it and purify it for other uses. Many regions are facing a lack of proper infrastructure to deliver water, as well as clean water itself: according to a 2024 report conducted by the United Nations, 2.2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water. With that in mind, it is more important now than ever to utilize precipitation to offset these water insecurities and infrastructure failures. Many countries have begun beefing up their current systems, and the market for better systems are quickly growing, as technological developments increase filtration and efficiency.

Homeowners, landowners, and business owners alike can also capitalize on the trend of rainscaping to ease flooding and lower water pollution. Rainscaping combines multiple approaches to manage water, like adding rain gardens and incorporating native plants, allowing for creativity and flexibility to best suit the target environment. Many cities have also focused on collaborating with citizens by educating people on strategies and offering free rain barrels.

Stormwater, especially polluted stormwater, can be very deadly to humans, other animals, and plants, if places do not adapt to more rainfall. On the other hand, implementing more green infrastructure and other controls to mitigate and clean stormwater can help with hydration: California’s actions last year created three times more groundwater recharge capacity than would have otherwise occurred. Stormwater can be one of our biggest threats, or it could save countless lives; do your part and ensure only rain goes down the drain! Be sure to refer to the hyperlinked articles for further reading.