Why are they bad for water quality?

Industrial businesses and automobiles release heavy metals, like copper and zinc, into the air which land on hard surfaces, are dissolved in storm water and ultimately carried to the nearest waterbody. Because dissolved metals are hard to see in the water, they are often not thought of as a pollutant by many people. However, these metals accumulate in the environment and many have impacts on aquatic ecosystems for years to come.

What can we do to reduce or prevent storm water pollution?

There are many simple things we can do to prevent storm water pollution and help protect the water quality of our local waterbodies, although the number of pollutants might seem overwhelming. By incorporating simple, daily changes in our routine or activities, preventing storm water pollution will not seem like such a dramatic change to our lifestyle.

Keep your car maintained regularly to prevent your exhaust from becoming heavily polluted. Efficient combustion and a properly maintained system will use less fluids and emit fewer pollutants.

When washing your car, try to divert the wash water to a grassy or other pervious area. By diverting wash water away from the street, metals are less likely to accumulate in the streets and are more likely to be absorbed by the grassy environment.

Rideshare. Try carpooling instead of driving by yourself. This cuts down on the number of cars on the road and decreases the amount of pollutants entering the air and water. For more information, call 619-237-POOL.

Link your trips. When running errands, try to find a way to link all your stops, so you can cut down on your driving time and pollute less. Half of the pollution your car creates happens when you start the car.

Report smoking vehicles. The San Diego Air Pollution Control District and the California Highway Patrol have created a project to reduce air pollution, but need your help. If you see a smoking or gross polluting vehicle, simply call 1-800-28-SMOKE or #SMOG from your cell phone and report it to the dispatcher. Some general information (55 KB) will be needed at the time of your call.

What do the laws say about metals?

While none of the tips are mandatory, by voluntarily reducing pollution, we can prevent the government from creating more stringent laws.