What is the greatest threat polluting Virginia waterways and the Chesapeake Bay?
The answer may surprise you. It is not industrial waste or piles of trash. It’s stormwater runoff. Unfortunately, this problem often goes unnoticed for the simple fact that we can’t see it. During rainstorms (or when our recent dumping of snow melts) water rushes off all of our paved surfaces taking all of the untreated oil, sediment, trash and other pollutants into our storm drains which empty directly into local waterways
Green solutions reduce and even eliminate stormwater pollution.
Untreated wastewater discharges make Rivers unsafe to swim in, and treating wastewater is expensive and energy intensive. Pervious pavement, green roofs, rain gardens, and increased urban forestry retain more water on-site thereby alleviating treatment costs and the pressure to our pipes. “Green infrastructure” also helps us tackle climate change by conserving energy, decreasing the urban heat island effect as well as eliminating the need for more “pipe and gutter” projects which don’t address the source of the problem.
The Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP) and Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF) are two critical local matching grant programs helping rural and urban communities across the Commonwealth address pollution from existing sites through land conservation and green infrastructure projects. Every Clean Water and our allies work with our legislators in Richmond to ensure strong and equitable funding for these critical programs.
Take Action! Contact your representatives now and tell them to fully fund land and water conservation programs!
What is the greatest threat polluting Virginia waterways and the Chesapeake Bay?
The answer may surprise you. It is not industrial waste or piles of trash. It’s stormwater runoff. Unfortunately, this problem often goes unnoticed for the simple fact that we can’t see it. During rain storms (or when our recent dumping of snow melts) water rushes off all of our paved surfaces taking all of the untreated oil, sediment, trash and other pollutants into our storm drains which empty directly into local waterways!
Green solutions reduce and even eliminate stormwater pollution.
Untreated wastewater discharges make Rivers unsafe to swim in, and treating wastewater is expensive and energy intensive. Pervious pavement, green roofs, rain gardens, and increased urban forestry retain more water on-site thereby alleviating treatment costs and the pressure to our pipes. “Green infrastructure” also helps us tackle climate change by conserving energy, decreasing the urban heat island effect as well as eliminating the need for more “pipe and gutter” projects which don’t address the source of the problem.