09/05/2026
Our creek is downstream. Do something good for it every day. Don't litter and if you see it on the ground, pick it up and dispose of it properly.
The most misunderstood piece of infrastructure in America.
THE PLUMBING: SANITARY SEWER — the pipe from your toilet, sink, and shower. Goes to a wastewater treatment plant. Treated. STORM DRAIN — the grate in the street. Goes DIRECTLY to the nearest surface water body. In most municipalities, NOT treated at all.
WHAT GOES IN: Lawn fertilizer (nitrogen and phosphorus → algae blooms → oxygen crashes → fish kills). Pesticides and herbicides. Motor oil and vehicle fluids. Brake dust (copper — highly toxic to aquatic life). Pet waste (bacteria). Sediment from bare soil. Soap from car washing. Leaves and grass clippings (nutrient loading).
WHY SEPTEMBER MATTERS: Fall fertilizer applications, fall pesticide treatments, and heavy leaf loads coincide with autumn rain. It's a peak runoff nutrient period in many watersheds.
WHAT TO DO: Never blow or sweep leaves, clippings, or soil into the street. Sweep them back onto the lawn or into beds. Never fertilize before forecast rain, and always sweep granular fertilizer off hard surfaces back onto turf. Wash cars on the LAWN or at a commercial car wash (they're required to treat their water). Direct downspouts onto lawn or into a rain garden, not onto the driveway. Pick up pet waste. Fix vehicle leaks.
THE ACCOUNTABILITY: Every storm drain in America has a creek at the end of it. Usually within a mile of your house. Usually one people swim in, fish in, or drink downstream from.
You are upstream of somebody. Always.
