| Stormwater
Management
Stormwater
Is A Growing Priority
For some, stormwater only comes to mind when
drainage problems occur. At Public Works, we deal with stormwater
issues daily. One of our main objectives is to comply with the federal
mandate to municipalities to develop a stormwater management program.
Stormwater is the run-off from rain, snowmelt, or
a garden hose as it flows over buildings, pavement, lawns, and other
surfaces into storm drains. As water flows it absorbs any pollutant
it contacts. These pollutants include grease, oil, lead, zinc, asbestos,
chromium, copper and nickel from cars; salt from winter road management;
pesticides and herbicides from yards and farms; sediment from construction
sites; household
waste and chemicals; and pet byproducts and yardwaste. Stormwater
drains untreated directly into the creeks and streams that supply
our drinking water, that we fish and swim in, and that provide habitats
for our wildlife.
A stormwater management program includes public
information, outreach, involvement and participation, illicit discharge
detection and elimination, site stormwater runoff control, and pollution
prevention. Implementing our plan involves adopting a stormwater
ordinance, distributing educational materials, identifying and resolving
drainage problems, and continuing to enforce erosion control at
construction sites. Citizens can help manage stormwater too. As
you read on, you'll find easy ways to help.
Stormwater management is a topic you'll hear
more about in the
months ahead. If you'd like additional information now or if you
are interested in scheduling a presentation for your school or organization,
call the Public Works Department at 704-920-4200.
To view the September 13 PowerPoint presentation
to City Council, click
here.
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Federal NPDES Program
The Federal program that Kannapolis
and other municipalities across the country are managing is called
a national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES). It is
a program of the 1972 Clean Water Act and is designed to identify
and minimize the discharge of pollutants through the implementation
of controls. Initially, the NPDES program focused on municipal sewage
and industrial process wastewater in order to improve
water quality across the nation. Since amendments to the Clean Water
Act in 1987, stormwater has become a major focus of the program.
Improved water quality is still the goal.
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Kannapolis'
Plan
Stormwater management practices reduce the
amount of pollutants in the environment in order to improve water
quality for drinking, recreation and wildlife habitats. To obtain
an NPDES permit, the City must provide a five-year plan that outlines
the management practices and measurable goals that the City will
implement in the areas of:
1. Public education and outreach
2. Public participation and involvement
3. Illicit discharge detections and elimination
4. Construction site runoff control
5. Postconstruction site runoff control
6. Pollution prevention for municipal operations.
The plan builds on programs that exist within the
city as well as
proposes new management practices. To view the plan, click
here.
The management practices included in the plan are
not the only steps the City will take to manage stormwater. The
program will grow and evolve over time.
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Only Rain Down the Drain
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses a simple slogan,
Only Rain Down the Drain, as a reminder of what to do to make sure
stormwater leaving your home or business is clean:
- Use pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers
sparingly.
- Clean up after pets regularly.
- Repair auto leaks quickly.
- Use commercial car washes that recycle water
or wash your car on your lawn.
- Sweep up debris rather than hosing down paved
surfaces.
- Landscape so run-off from roofs or driveways
drains to lawns and gardens.
- Make sure containers with grease or other materials
are covered and not leaking.
- Use recycling services like those offered by
Cabarrus County.
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Cabarrus
County Recycling Services
Any resident within the Kannapolis city limits can utilize the
Cabarrus County solid waste and hazard household waste recycling
programs. Five convenience centers accept co-mingled - newspaper,
magazines, catalogs, phones books, junk mail and office paper; co-mingled
- plastics #1-7; green brown and clear glass; aluminum and steel
cans; and corrugated
cardboard (except the Midland location). Cardboard must be flattened
and foam removed. All items need to be rinsed of food and other
residues before being placed at the convenience centers. Please
remove items from bags. No grocery bags accepted.
Convenience centers that are open 24 hours are the
Cabarrus County Human Services Center, 313 Cannon Blvd; Angelo's
Fish House, 534 Trinity Church Rd; and America 1st Mortgage in Crossroads
Center on Hwy 24/27 in Midland. The Household Hazardous Waste Facility,
246 General Services Dr. in Concord accepts used motor oil &
oil filters; used antifreeze; all grades of scrap metal (no containers);
automotive/ marine batteries; white goods (fridge, washer/ dryer,
stove); empty ink jet and toner
cartridges; and six-pack rings Tues and Thurs 8 am to 5 pm. Additional
Wed and Fri collection times are available. The Cabarrus County
Landfill, 4441 Irish Potato Road in Concord accepts used motor oil,
all grades of scrap metal (no containers), automotive/ marine batteries,
white goods and used tires (maximum five per load) Mon through Fri,
8 am to 5 pm
and Sat 8 am to 2 pm.
For more information about collection locations,
times, dates, and
fees, call the Solid Waste Line at 704-920-2950, the Household Hazardous
Waste Line at 704-920-EARTH (3278) or visit www.cabarruscounty.us.
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Yardwaste
Collection Helps Water Quality
By using weekly yardwaste collection and seasonal loose-leaf
collection to keep leaves and debris out of your yard, you lessen
the pollutants in stormwater. Less pollutants in stormwater means
higher water quality in our creeks and lakes. For more information,
call the Public Works Department at 704-920-4200.
Yardwaste Guidelines
No one likes to have their yardwaste left
after their household
garbage is collected. To ensure that yours is picked up, keep these
guidelines handy:
- Place yardwaste curbside on regular household
collection days.
- Make sure tree limbs are no larger than six
inches in diameter. They can be any length.
- Stack tree limbs loosely with cut ends
toward the street.
- Keep limb or brush piles no larger than
3ft x 8ft x 3ft, the
equivalent of a small pick-up truckload. Two piles per address
per week of this size can be collected.
- Bag or tie yardwaste (except limbs) including
pampas grass, cornstalks and bamboo.
- Bag garden material. Remember to shake
off the dirt.
- Do not mix yardwaste with household waste
or other items.
- Remember, crews cannot pick up wood containing
nails or metal, bags that weigh more than 50 lbs, logs, firewood,
stumps, root balls, debris from major tree removal or land clearing,
construction and demolition waste (i.e. windows, flooring, drywall,
plywood). Check with local landfills for disposal of these items
and associated fees.
Cleaning up yardwaste can keep debris from
washing into creeks, ditches and pipes and blocking stormwater drainage
areas. Stormwater flows into creeks that provide habitats for animals
and plant life and supplies our drinking water. That means removing
yardwaste can help improve our environment and overall water quality.
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Programs and Websites
To learn more about how to keep only rain going
down the storm drains, you can participate in the City's Adopt A
Street Program by calling 704-920-4200. For information about programs
Cabarrus County sponsors like Cabarrus StreamWatch call 704-920-3300.
Websites like the Environmental Protection Agency at www.epa.gov
and the www.CWMTF.net also have
information about stormwater, watersheds, and water quality.
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