Palmetto Bay Stormwater Management  What is Stormwater
Stormwater is basically a way of describing an accumulation of
rainwater. This rainwater is either absorbed into porous
surfaces like grass, forests, farm fields, and other areas of
“open ground,” or the rainwater collects on non-porous (or
impervious) surfaces like streets, parking lots, and rooftops.
It's these impervious areas where rainwater collects that is the
challenge for stormwater planners. In order to keep these
impervious areas from flooding, streets, parking lots and
buildings are often designed with underground pipes and basins
that drain this stormwater. Stormwater managers face three
primary challenges:    • Drain stormwater quickly in order to
prevent flooding   • Ensure stormwater is clean of contaminants
picked up along the way   Stormwater Pollution   Stormwater is
often carried through drainage pipes to outfalls into large
bodies of water. This water is often not filtered or treated
before being discharged and can contaminate our ou