Storm Water
Storm Water
Storm Drain Map-Bangor Township
Report an Illicit Discharge or Spill flyer
The public has the means to report an illicit discharge, spill or illegal dumping by visiting www.baycoroad.org, clicking on the Citizen Connect icon in the upper left-hand corner of the screen and selecting “Storm Drainage”, then clicking Illegal Dumping. The BCRC is in process of adding “Illicit Discharge” and “Spill” to the drop down menu. They are then able to enter the nature of the event and location specifics.
NPDES Permit
Connecting storm sewers to waterbodies, while effective for flood control, primarily discharges untreated polluted runoff directly into natural waters. This causes degraded water quality, high bacteria levels, and significant habitat destruction due to trash, nutrients, and heavy metals. These inputs fuel algal blooms, cause sedimentation, and increase erosion, which threaten both ecosystems and public health.
Environmental and Physical Impacts
- Water Quality Degradation: Stormwater flows from surfaces, picking up oils, fertilizers, heavy metals, and pet waste, discharging them without treatment into lakes and rivers.
- Erosion and Sedimentation: High-velocity water surges from pipes cause bank erosion, bank failure, and increase sediment loads, which can suffocate fish habitats.
- Algal Blooms: Excess nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen from fertilizers, enter waterbodies, creating algae blooms that consume oxygen and kill fish.
- Physical Damage: Intense flows and increased water volume can destroy riparian ecosystems.
Public Health and Infrastructure Hazards
- Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs): In cities with combined systems, heavy rains can exceed capacity, discharging a mixture of raw sewage and stormwater into local waterways.
- Pathogens and Contaminants: Elevated bacteria levels from animal and human waste can lead to the closure of swimming areas and contaminate drinking water sources.
- Trash and Debris: Pollutants such as plastic, litter, and road debris are discharged, reducing natural beauty and harming wildlife.
- Localized Flooding: Blocked or overwhelmed pipes can fail to handle high volumes, leading to urban flooding.
Key Concerns
- Untreated Discharge: Almost all stormwater travels straight to local waterways without filtering, carrying contaminants.
- Infrastructure Stress: Increased development increases the volume of runoff, putting immense strain on existing systems.
- Wildlife Hazards: Toxins like chloride from road salt can severely harm aquatic insects, fish, and plants
You can view the area’s Stormwater Management Plan/Watershed Plan at the Bay County Drain Commission website or here.
One of the best methods to reduce pollutants entering our watershed is by educating the residents and visitors on ways to protect our watershed. By enabling residents to care for our water resources we will improve the water quality in our watershed.
TOP 10 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT OUR WATERSHEDS
Always conserve and reuse water wisely
Soil test before you apply fertilizer. Use low or no-phosphorus fertilizers
Use native vegetation and reduce turf grass by increasing native wildflowers and grasses
Capture and reuse rainwater to control stormwater runoff
Dispose of pet waste properly in the trash or toilet (not onsite septic systems)
Wash your car at a car wash facility. If you must do it at home, wash vehicles on the lawn instead of pavement
Maintain all vehicles, eliminating leaks and spills
Recycle and dispose of household chemicals properly (motor oil, household cleaners, paint, etc.)
Inspect and maintain onsite septic systems and sewers
Join a watershed organization
LAWN CARE
SOIL TESTING
PET WASTE
HOMEOWNERS
CAR WASHING
CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES
FUN WATER FACTS
There is the same amount of water on Earth as there was when the Earth was formed. The water from your faucet could contain molecules that dinosaurs drank
Water is composed of two elements, Hydrogen and Oxygen. 2 Hydrogen + 1 Oxygen = H2O
Nearly 97% of the world’s water is salty or otherwise undrinkable. Another 2% is locked in ice caps and glaciers. That leaves just 1% for all of humanity’s needs — all its agricultural, residential, manufacturing, community, and personal needs
Water regulates the Earth’s temperature. It also regulates the temperature of the human body, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, cushions joints, protects organs and tissues, and removes wastes
75% of the human brain is water and 75% of a living tree is water
A person can live about a month without food, but only about a week without water
Water is part of a deeply interconnected system. What we pour on the ground ends up in our water, and what we spew into the sky ends up in our water
The average total home water use for each person in the U.S. is about 50 gallons a day
The average cost for water supplied to a home in the U.S. is about $2.00 for 1,000 gallons, which equals about 5 gallons for a penny
Water expands by 9% when it freezes. Frozen water (ice) is lighter than water, which is why ice floats in water