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STORMWATER
Stormwater pollution is a challenging water quality problem. Anything that enters a storm sewer system is
discharged untreated into the rivers and streams we use for swimming, fishing and providing drinking water.
Unlike pollution from industry or sewage treatment facilities, which is caused by a discrete number
of sources, stormwater pollution is caused by the daily activities of people everywhere. In urban and suburban
areas like those in Allegheny County, much of the land surface is covered by buildings and pavement, which do
not allow rain and snowmelt to soak into the ground. Rainwater and snowmelt run off streets, lawns, farms, and
construction and industrial sites carrying fertilizers, dirt, pesticides, oil, grease and many other pollutants
to our rivers, lakes and streams.
Nationally, stormwater runoff is our most common cause of water pollution. Locally, it also
contributes to our wet weather sewage overflow problem.
Stormwater seeps into sanitary sewage collection systems
through deteriorated pipes and illegal
downspout connections from homes. This extra volume of water exceeds the amount the pipes in the sewage
system can carry to the ALCOSAN treatment plant and as a result, raw sewage overflows into the rivers and
streams or backs up into homeowners' basements. Stormwater is the direct link to overflows in
combined sewer collection systems.
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