City of Commerce City, CO

Fast Facts

• Excess fertilizer and yard waste can harm water quality if they get washed down storm drains. Too many nutrients can cause rapid growth of algae, removing oxygen from the water, attributing odors, upsetting the aquatic ecosystem, and directly leads to a decline in Colorado's drinking water quality. 
• Leaf litter and landscape trash account for 56% of the phosphorus in urban stormwater, in addition to clogging storm drains and increasing debris in our waterways.
• One pound of fertilizer over-application on the average lawn can equate to 34.2 lbs. of excess algae growth in streams and lakes. That’s one ton for every 60 homes!
• The amount of phosphorus in grass clippings generated from just one lawn mowing can produce up to 100 lbs. of unwanted algae.

How You Can Help

• Dispose Properly
  • Compost or bag your leaves and grass clippings. Leaves and clippings left on lawns may blow or wash into storm drains, clogging them and causing flooding in the street.
  • Don't blow grass clippings into the street and hand pull weeds when possible.
  • Sweep up any spills or over spray of fertilizers on sidewalks or streets.
  • Make your own compost from leaves and grass clippings to use as fertilizer, saving you money.
• Fertilize Effectively
  • In Colorado, you might need to fertilize lawns twice per year. If you do, late spring and early fall are the best times to do it. Fertilizing in the early fall promotes healthy root systems - leading to stronger, more resilient lawns and plants.
  • Perform soil testing to determine the right amount of fertilizers to apply. Consider using slow-release fertilizers with water-insoluble or slowly-soluble nutrients.
  • Watch the weather and make sure to not apply when storms will be approaching.
• Turn It Down
  • Adjust sprinkler systems based on weather, repair leaks, and reduce runoff.
  • Don't power wash debris into the street.
  • Adjust fertilizer spreaders to apply the correct amount over areas. Fertilizer bags typically provide this information or ask at the local garden center.
• Choose Wisely
  • Planting species that are native to the region can decrease the amount of turf, water, and fertilizer needed.

Winter brings with it lots of fun activities, like sledding, ice skating and skiing. But winter also means mounds of snow to shovel and layers of ice to remove from our sidewalks and driveways. We often make the job easier by applying deicers like salt. Besides sodium chloride, many deicers also contain chemicals like cyanide. When ice melts, the salts and chemicals dissolve and flow into street drains that lead directly to the river, endangering aquatic life. Here are a few tips to reduce salt use and prevent pollution year-round.

Here are some approaches that can reduce pollution during winter: 

• Shovel/plow snow first to remove it from paved surfaces, like driveways and sidewalks, before applying snow melt and deicing products.
• Pile snow downslope of paved surfaces to help prevent icy and slippery conditions on pavement as snow melts and refreezes.
• Shovel, blow, or plow snow onto lawn and vegetated areas where melting snow can soak into the ground.
• Sweep up after snowmelt – Sweep and dispose of residual sand, grit, and litter to help prevent accumulation in streets and roadside ditches draining pollution into streams and rivers.
• Keep gutters and drainage pathways clear and free of debris to prevent snowmelt from backing up and forming ice in places where you want runoff to flow freely.
• Direct, or route, snowmelt runoff into nearby gardens and vegetated areas before applying salt and deicing products.

Fast Facts

• Washing your car in the driveway can send about 120 gallons of dirty water downstream. The soap, dirt, grease and grime flows untreated into nearby storm drains.
• Lack of routine vehicle maintenance can be a leading contributor to stormwater pollution because runoff carries pollutants such as soap, oil, antifreeze, gas, transmission fluid and other products to local waterways.
• One gallon of used motor oil can contaminate up to one million gallons of water. Dumping oil where it can get into our drainage system is like dumping it directly into our streams and rivers.

How You Can Help

• Use a commercial car wash, where water is recycled and sent to treatment facilities. If you do wash your car at home, use ecofriendly soap and wash your car on the lawn or gravel to prevent the excess water from going down storm drains. Dump your soapy bucket in the sink, not the driveway or ground.
• Perform vehicle maintenance where chemicals and fluids cannot be washed into a storm drain.
• Check your vehicle, motorcycles, boats and other watercraft for leaks. Place an oil pan or other container under the vehicle to capture the leaking material.
• Recycle motor oil and other automotive fluids. Register for one of four Veolia Hazardous Household Waste recycling events by visiting c3gov.com/trash!

Fast Facts

• Did you know that Colorado has about 1.4 million dogs? Each dog creates about 12 ounces of waste per day, 274 pounds each per year. All total for the state, that’s 390 million pounds of dog waste a year. Unless properly disposed of, dog waste washes down storm drains.
• Dog waste contains 10% phosphates and 2% nitrates. In Colorado, that’s 39 million pounds of phosphates and 8 million pounds of nitrogen.
• Rain and snowmelt wash dog waste into storm drains that are connected to rivers and lakes without treatment. There, it releases these nutrients, causing algae and weed growth, and making the water murky, green, smelly and often unusable for swimming, boating or fishing.
• Dog waste can spread pathogens that may be transmitted from pets to humans, including salmonella, giardia and parvovirus, among others. Parasite eggs dispersed in poop can survive for years in outdoor areas.

How You Can Help

• Pick it up. Carry extra pet waste bags on every walk.
• Pitch it. Make sure to put the bags in a garbage can.
• Pay a scooper. There are several local and affordable pooper scooper businesses.

Fast Facts

• According to the EPA, stormwater pollution is the number one cause of water pollution in the country.
• Stormwater pollution occurs when rain or snowmelt flows over patios, sidewalks, streets, and picks up pollutants left behind by everyday activities.
• Common sources of pollutants include food and beverages, disposable items like napkins, plastic utensils and straws, cleaning products, cooking oil/grease and pressure washing waste.
• Detergents and organic waste can cause harmful algae blooms. Fats, oils and grease can stress aquatic ecosystems by preventing oxygen from entering the stream. Chemicals, bacteria, and other pathogens can create health hazards, while trash and debris can choke wildlife.

How You Can Help?

• Never wash anything into a storm drain (food, trash, foliage or water/cleaning agents). Never pour or allow fluids containing chemicals, detergents or additives onto the ground.
• Properly dispose of food waste, wash water and grease. Train employees and contractors on proper cleaning and disposal methods.
• Check outdoor areas daily, including patios, alleys and trash enclosures. Clean up any spills and trash.
• Cover all grease, recycling and trash bins and contact your service provider if exterior bins need cleaning or emptying.
• Clean up spills immediately.