It's Rainy Season!

During the rainy season, stormwater systems get increased loads of what is known as "non-point pollution." Non-point pollution, unlike pollution from identifiable polluting locations or industries, comes from many sources. As stormwater runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural or human-made pollutants such as excess fertilizers from yards, oil grease and chemicals from roads, bacteria and nutrients from pet wastes and septic systems. This stormwater in Hallandale Beach eventually ends up in the Intracoastal Waterway, lakes in the City, or back in the groundwater system. It's good to think about the potential non-point pollution you and your home/activities produce all throughout the year, but it's especially important to pay attention to these inputs during the rainy season. There are many small personal changes in home and yard practices that can help keep local waterbodies cleaner: 

• If you wash your vehicle at home, wash it over grass instead of over concrete. Use biodegradable soap and use as little of it as possible. Washing one car may not seem to be a problem, but collectively car washing activities add up to big problems for local waterbodies.  
• Always pick up and dispose of your pet waste in a trash can. Dog waste had 4 to 10 times more bacteria than human waste! Dog waste is NOT fertilizer, it's an environmental hazard.
• Make sure you always properly dispose of your household chemicals and hazardous waste.
• De-chlorinate swimming pool water before discharging.
• Don't fertilize your landscaping during the rainy season. This is not only a best practice but is also a local ordinance.
• Never direct your yard waste down a storm drain. Instead, dispose of it with other yard waste or add it to your garden as mulch or put it in your compost pile.
• install a rain garden or rain barrel to use this wonderful resource! The City still has rebates available ($1 per square foot) to remove 500-1000 square feet of sod and replace it with a rain garden on your property. Consider applying for this rebate to help treat some of your non-point source pollution through plants.