Information for Neighborhoods & Homeowners
This section is intended to help you, as a homeowner, become aware of measures that you can take to help protect the quality of stormwater leaving your property. Even a small amount of impervious area (i.e., rooftops, driveways, sidewalks, etc.) can have an impact on the quality of runoff leaving a residential property. The runoff eventually makes its way into storm sewers, detention basins, ditches, streams, and rivers - all th while picking up pollutants as it flows.
Because the stormwater is no longer able to be absorbed back into the natural ground, the quantity of water entering a stream arrives at a faster rate, increasing the burden on municipal and county storm systems. Illicit discharges and illegal connections to municipal storm drains or county regulated drains can also have a negative impact. Per federal laws, local government entities are required to discover illicit discharges and take teh appropriate action to have them rectified. If you are aware of illegal connection or illicit discharges in your area, please notify the appropriate personnel to have them fixed before large problems arise.
Below are some ideas on how you, as a homeowner, can take steps in improving water quality.
Maintain your septic system - If you are planning on repairing a septic system, please seek help from the Tippecanoe County Board of Health. For general guidance on maintenance, clean-out, and how a septic system works, please see this Fact Sheet
Household Hazardous Waste Diposal - Don't dump your paint in the sewer! Tippecanoe County has facilities where household waste can be properly disposed. Contact information fort these facilities can be found on the Recycling page.
Install a Rain Garden - Rain gardens can be a rather inexpensive solution to reducing the quantity of runoff leaving a property as well as reducing the amount of pollution. See how a raingarden works and how to build your own in this helpful handbook by Roger Bannerman and Ellen Considine.
Install a Rain Barrel - Rain barrels provide the homeowner a method of harvesting rain water for use during dry months. Visit rainbarrelguide.com and explore the benefits of rain water harvesting. The Tippecanoe County Soil and Water Conservation District can also assist in providing materials for rain barrel construction.
Pick up after your Pet - A quick and simple method of decreasing pollutants in runoff. Pick up your pet's poo! This brochure from the University of Wisconsin summarizes health risks and pollution issues than can result from pet waste that is left unattended.
Washing your car - Washing your car in your driveway will most likely pollute the stormwater system from the soapy runoff. Read this article from Edward Schwarz on how to minimize pollution, yet still get that clean car.
Composting - Composting is a wonderful way to reduce the amount of waste sent to the local landfill. This handout from the North Carolina Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance outlines these benefits.
Fertilizing Your Lawn - Remember that when you fertilize your lawn, you are allowing some of the chemicals to flow in to the stormwater system.
Fix Leaky Vehicle - Don't let automobile fluids leak from your vehicle...those fluids are ending up in our streams and rivers.
