What is Stormwater?
When it rains, someone washes their car or waters their lawn, impervious surfaces such as rooftops, driveways, parking lots and roads prevent water from being absorbed into the ground. This is known as stormwater runoff. This water picks up and carries a wide variety of pollutants and litter, which flow into our storm drains, and eventually empty directly into our waterways.

Unlike household wastewater, stormwater is not treated. That means the everyday pollution that we all contribute has an impact on our local water quality. 

Why is Stormwater Management Important?
Water from rain and irrigation carries fertilizers and pesticides, soil and debris off lawns and streets into neighborhood storm drains that lead directly to our streams, rivers and bays. 

Traditional stormwater management has focused on removing quantities of water from our streets and neighborhoods, with the primary goal being to prevent flooding. Again, this water went untreated and was discharged directly into area waterways. 

Now, federal and state regulations require localities to better manage the quality of the stormwater that is entering our creeks, streams, rivers and bays. These regulations require much planning and educational effort to be effective, but the benefits include cleaner surface water and a healthier environment! 

The City of Hopewell is hard at work developing and implementing stormwater management programs that include construction of best management practices, system maintenance, enforcement of City Ordinances and public education.

What are Localities Doing to Reduce Stormwater Pollution?

The City of Hopewell has joined with our neighboring localities to find solutions and put in place programs that will benefit all of us. We are implementing programs that will meet or exceed governmental requirements to improve water quality in the regional area.

Some examples of what we are doing to manage stormwater impact on our waterways are: