Have you ever wondered where all the rain from a storm goes after it’s over? Most people don’t really think about it all that much. All that water has to flow away somewhere, right? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. The water can’t just go somewhere else on its own. This is especially true when it’s trapped in a city that’s mostly concrete. Instead of going somewhere, it simply stays put and causes various issues within the city. Because of this, stormwater management is an extremely important part of city planning. It’s also crucial for individual homeowners to deal with their own part of the stormwater runoff problem.
Why is it a problem?
You might be wondering why stormwater poses a problem for cities and towns? It’s quite simple, really. There’s just too much water to go around. Rainstorms release a lot of water. This water can’t just evaporate or get absorbed by the ground. Even dirt surfaces get oversaturated with it and the water just accumulates.
This leads to a couple of issues. First and foremost, it causes massive floods. This can damage private and public property. Not to mention, trash and dirt are swept by currents and deposited everywhere. Streambanks are eroded and various waterways get clogged, which can destroy aquatic ecosystems. Not to mention, flooding can be extremely dangerous and stormwater has been known to kill.
Health risks
Overflowing stormwater can cause a variety of health issues locally. The flooding often leads to the mixing of several different water sources. This means that local water supplies get contaminated with dirty water. This water is often mixed with any chemicals it picks up along the way. These include pesticides, oil spills, toxic waste, etc. Homemade fertilizers and compost also find their way there.
Not only do storms cause water sources to be contaminated, but they can also transfer this waste to crops and fields. Both food and water end up being contaminated, which does not bode well for the local population. Often, this means that local water treatment plants have to increase prices for cleaning the contaminated water.
Property damage
Stormwater can also damage individual properties, causing significant problems. Homeowners are often left with thousands of dollars of damage caused to their home. The runoff can damage the outside of homes and completely ruin gardens and backyards.
The good news is that cities can take measures to help prevent stormwater runoff from causing problems in neighbourhoods. Wastewater infrastructure needs to be maintained and city officials usually contact professionals like Jonishan Civil Contracting to see how they can best prevent rainstorms from damaging homes in specific neighbourhoods. It’s often a matter of introducing measures which help divert or absorb water before it does anything harmful.
Handling stormwater
Cities often design around managing stormwater. Doing this requires managing surfaces and drainage. Green surfaces are much more efficient at absorbing water. The more they are present in a city; the less damage stormwater can cause.
Drainage systems need to be well equipped to handle large and sudden loads of water. It’s important that these drainage solutions act on a local level, to prevent floods from bringing in toxic chemicals. Local homeowners are encouraged to leave green surfaces untouched and to reduce their usage of chemicals and fertilizers.
Conclusion
Stormwater runoff can pose a large problem for cities and towns. The excess water from rainstorms can do untold amounts of damage if left unchecked. Floods can even take lives. This is why it’s important to take care of this problem before it has a chance to manifest itself. Both city official and individual homeowners have a responsibility to prevent stormwater from causing damage to their communities.