General Public—Salt Lake County Residents & Homeowners

Simple Actions. Cleaner Water. Healthier Communities.

Simple Things You can do to Make a Difference Anytime
 

Salt Lake County Residents & Homeowners

Simple Actions. Cleaner Water. Healthier Communities.

Every time it rains or snow melts in Salt Lake County, water flows across rooftops, driveways, sidewalks, streets, and parking lots before entering storm drains. Unlike water that goes down sinks and toilets, stormwater is not treatedbefore it reaches local streams, canals, wetlands, the Jordan River, and ultimately the Great Salt Lake. As stormwater travels across our neighborhoods, it picks up pollutants such as pet waste, fertilizers, automotive fluids, trash, leaves, grass clippings, sediment, and household chemicals.

The good news is that protecting our waterways starts at home. Small actions taken by thousands of Salt Lake County residents make a tremendous difference in reducing pollution, improving water quality, protecting wildlife, and creating healthier communities. Whether you own a home, rent an apartment, or simply enjoy the outdoors, everyone has a role in keeping our stormwater clean.

Top 10 Things Every Resident Can Do

🐕 Pick Up Pet Waste

Pet waste is one of the leading sources of harmful bacteria, including E. coli, entering local waterways. Always bag pet waste and place it in the trash (or flush it where appropriate).

🍂 Keep Leaves and Grass Out of Storm Drains

Leaves, grass clippings, and yard debris release excess nutrients into waterways, contributing to algae blooms and poor water quality. Sweep them back into your yard, compost them, or place them in yard waste collection.

🚗 Fix Vehicle Leaks

Oil, antifreeze, transmission fluid, and other automotive chemicals can wash directly into storm drains. Repair leaks promptly and recycle used automotive fluids.

🧽 Wash Cars Responsibly

Wash your vehicle at a commercial car wash whenever possible, or wash it on your lawn where the water can soak into the soil instead of flowing into the gutter.

🧪 Use Fertilizers and Pesticides Sparingly

Only apply the amount your landscape actually needs. Never apply before rain or irrigation events, and sweep spilled fertilizer back onto your lawn.

🗑️ Never Dump Into Storm Drains

Only rain belongs in the storm drain. Paint, concrete wash water, chemicals, soaps, oils, and other pollutants should never enter gutters or storm drains.

♻️ Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste Properly

Paint, pesticides, cleaners, solvents, batteries, and many electronics require special disposal. Never pour them down storm drains or into gutters.

💧 Water Efficiently

Avoid overwatering your lawn and landscape. Water only what plants need and adjust irrigation seasonally to reduce runoff.

🦆 Don't Feed Ducks and Geese

Feeding waterfowl concentrates large numbers of birds in one location, increasing bacteria and nutrient pollution in ponds, rivers, and wetlands.

👥 Help Keep Your Neighborhood Clean

Pick up litter before it reaches storm drains. Participate in community cleanups or adopt a neighborhood storm drain.

Learn More About Stormwater

Understanding Stormwater

Learn how stormwater moves through our communities and why protecting it matters.

Resources

Pet Waste & Water Quality

Pet waste contains bacteria and nutrients that can contaminate streams, rivers, and lakes. Cleaning up after pets helps reduce E. coli pollution and protects recreation, wildlife, and public health.

Resources

Yard Care & Landscaping

Healthy landscaping protects water quality by reducing erosion, filtering pollutants, and allowing water to soak naturally into the ground.

Topics include:

  • Fertilizer best practices

  • Composting leaves and grass clippings

  • Rain gardens

  • Native and drought-tolerant landscaping

  • Reducing runoff

Resources

Household Hazardous Waste

Many common household products can pollute waterways if disposed of improperly.

Items include:

  • Paint

  • Solvents

  • Motor oil

  • Pesticides

  • Cleaning chemicals

  • Batteries

  • Electronics

Resources

Vehicle Maintenance

Routine vehicle maintenance prevents harmful automotive fluids from reaching local waterways.

Learn about:

  • Oil leak prevention

  • Fluid recycling

  • Washing vehicles responsibly

  • Spill cleanup

Resources

Water Conservation & Stormwater

Using water wisely helps conserve Utah's limited water supplies while reducing runoff that carries pollutants into streams and rivers.

Ideas include:

  • Smart irrigation scheduling

  • Water-wise landscaping

  • Rain barrels (where appropriate)

  • Reducing paved surfaces

  • Improving soil health

Resources

Winter Stormwater Tips

Winter runoff often carries road salt, sand, oil, trash, and other pollutants into waterways.

Residents can help by:

  • Shoveling snow onto landscaped areas when practical

  • Using de-icers sparingly

  • Cleaning up pet waste year-round

  • Preventing automotive leaks before winter

  • Keeping gutters and storm drains clear of debris

Report Stormwater Pollution

If you observe illegal dumping, spills, or pollutants entering a storm drain, report it immediately. Prompt reporting helps prevent pollution from reaching local waterways.

Resources

Additional Educational Resources

We All Live Downstream

Everything that enters a storm drain eventually reaches our rivers, lakes, wetlands, and the Great Salt Lake—without treatment. By making small changes at home, every Salt Lake County resident can help protect clean water for drinking, recreation, wildlife, and future generations. Only rain should go down the storm drain.

 

Earth911.com provides articles to help with ideas for everything for residents and homeowners from how to host greener gatherings to low water crops for your backyard gardens to reducing food waste.

Rebates and Incentives, Lawn watering guides, Ideas about how to save water. In Utah, in drought years and “water plenty” years, conservation is always our way of life!

Resident and Homeowner Education:

Download the Homeowner's Guide to Stormwater. Produced by Penn State University

https://agsci.psu.edu/aec/research-extension/conservation-tools/stormwater-management

Topic Specific Resident Resources:

Maintenance of Septic Systems:

Effects of Outdoor & Household Activities:

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW):

Importance of Vehicle Maintenance:

Onsite Infiltration:

Proper Disposal of Swimming Pool Water

Pet Waste

Trash

Yard Care


WINTER STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION TIPS FOR RESIDENTS AND HOMEOWNERS

The next time it snows, keep an eye on the color of the snow along the sides of the road. It most likely will turn grayish or brownish in color due to the sand, salt, oil, trash, and other pollutants collecting in it. Then, as that snow melts, it washes those pollutants to the nearest storm drain and directly into our waterways.  

None of our stormwater is treated or cleaned at the water treatment facility, so It’s important to take steps to prevent stormwater pollutants from coming into contact with the snow. Here are a few tips to consider:

·       Pile snow where it will have the most opportunity to soak into the ground.

·       Make sure the nearest storm drains are clear and do not pile snow on them.

·       Shovel early and shovel often! The more snow and ice you remove, the less salt you will have to use.

·       Consider using an ice scraper or flat metal shovel to remove stubborn snow and ice.

SNOW, ICE, AND STORMWATER ARTICLES

For Residents & Homeowners

Article: Keeping Your Winter Green- Environmentally Friendly Ice-Melt from SLCo Stormwater Coalition

Article: Prevent Winter Water Damage and Localized Flooding at Home- from SLCo Stormwater Coalition

Article: How to De-Ice Your Driveway Quickly-(article + 2 infographics (Do’s & Don’ts) from Discount Dumpster

Article: Eco-Friendly Ways to De-ice Your Sidewalk- from Earth911

Article: Melting Snow: It’s Stormwater Too! from Penn State Extension

Article: Stormwater Tip: Keep Ice at Bay with Environmentally Friendly Methods- from PAH20

Article: Avoiding Stormwater Pollution Due to Ice and Snow- from EHS Daily Advisor

Are you wondering what you can do today to help prevent localized flooding and prevent water pollution?

Take Action!

Clear leaves and debris from storm drains in your neighborhood


 

What is stormwater runoff?

Stormwater is the water that runs off of the land surface when it rains or snow melts. It enters the storm drain system and flows directly to local creeks, streams, rivers and lakes. Stormwater runoff from undeveloped land is typically low since most rain or snowmelt infiltrates into the ground or is lost to evaporation. Additional runoff from developed areas is created from impervious surfaces like streets, parking lots, and rooftops that prevent stormwater from naturally soaking into the ground.

Why is stormwater runoff a problem?

Stormwater from urban/developed areas typically contains a number of pollutants, such as oil and grease from roadways and parking lots, pesticides and fertilizers from lawns, sediment from construction sites, sand and dirt from roadway maintenance practices, and carelessly discarded trash such as cigarette butts, wrappers, plastic bags, and plastic bottles. When these pollutants enter gutters, storm drains, and eventually water bodies, they hinder recreation activities, harm aquatic and other wildlife habitats, and can contaminate drinking water supplies,.

In addition to washing pollutants into our surface waters, improperly managed stormwater runoff can result in soil erosion and flooding.

The effects of pollution...

Polluted stormwater runoff can have many adverse effects on plants, fish, animals, and people.

  • Sediment can cloud the water and make difficult or impossible for aquatic plants to grow. Sediment also can destroy aquatic habitats.

  • Excess nutrients can cause algae blooms. When algae die, they sink to the bottom and decompose in a process that removes oxygen from the water. Fish and other aquatic organisms can’t exist in water with low dissolved oxygen levels

  • Bacteria and other pathogens can wash into swimming hazards, often making people and animals sick.

  • Debris—plastic bags, six-pack rings, bottles, and cigarette butts—washed into waterbodies can choke, suffocate or disable aquatic life like ducks, fish, and birds.

  • Household hazardous waste like insecticides, pesticides, paint, solvents, used motor oil, and other auto fluids can poison aquatic life. Land animals and people can become sick or die from eating diseased fish and shellfish or ingesting polluted water.

 

Need technical assistance to help your business reduce pollution? Contact Salt Lake County Health Department at (385)468-3862.

 

Did you know...most deicing chemicals, such as salt, end up in our soil or in our local creeks? Melting snow flows into the stormwater system and picks up salt as it travels over surfaces like roads, sidewalks, and driveways.

·       A single piece of salt or ice melt can go a long way in melting ice and if the salt is crunching underfoot, too much has been put down.

·       Sweep up excess salt or sand from the dry pavement after it is no longer being put to use.

Read about Dealing with Ice and Snow:

Article: How to De-Ice Your Driveway Quickly-(article + 2 infographics (Do’s & Don’ts) from Discount Dumpster

Article: Eco-Friendly Ways to De-ice Your Sidewalk- from Earth911

Article: Stormwater Tip: Keep Ice at Bay with Environmentally Friendly Methods- from PAH20

Article: Avoiding Stormwater Pollution Due to Ice and Snow- from EHS Daily Advisor

Article: Keeping Pets Safe during Winter: The Dangers of Ice Melt products- ASPCA