What is Storm Water?
How It's Made
Storm water is water from precipitation that flows across the ground and pavement when it rains or when snow and ice melt. The water seeps into the ground or drains into what we call storm water sewers. These are the drains you see at the street corners or at low points on the sides of your streets.

Collectively, the draining water is called storm water runoff and is a concern to us in commercial and industrial sites as well as your neighborhood because of the pollutants it carries.

Where Does This Water Go?
A common assumption is the water that heads down the storm drains flows into a treatment plant. Not so! Unlike waste water that is treated, storm water does not go through any treatment process. Storm drains transport storm water to the nearest stream, creek, lake or other waterway.

Water carries whatever it can with it – trash, leaves, chemical residue. With hundreds of storm drains around town, storm water is a major polluter. Although each storm drain contributes only a small number of pollutants, when added together, pollution concentrations are pretty high.

Draper City’s Mission
• To operate a drainage system that provides safe, dependable surface drainage in each neighborhood that can be maintained easily and at a reasonable cost
• To improve the environment by improving the quality of storm water runoff by remaining in compliance with Environmental Protection Agency Regulations

Show All Answers

1. What is Storm Water?
2. Where does this water go?
3. What is the storm water utility fee?
4. What is an ERU?
5. What is impervious surface?
6. What are common contributors to Storm Water Pollution?
7. What is Draper City doing to address storm water pollution?