In the City of Grayson, the Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources regularly responds to complaints of citizens or businesses dumping or discharging waste products into our streams via our storm drainage system. Common pollutants include litter, oil, detergents, grass clippings, leaves, fertilizer, cigarette butts, paint, concrete, sewage and animal waste. Each of these pollutants has an adverse effect on our waterways. So, the next time you see a storm drain, spare a moment and remember that our creeks, streams and rivers begin right there.
You can report illicit discharges to our waterways, storm drains, and drainage ditches by calling the Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources at 678.376.7000.
Educational Articles
Adopt-A-Stream in Grayson (PDF)
Don’t Forget Your Detention Pond (PDF)
Preventing Polution is as Easy as 1, 2, 3! (PDF)
Keeping HHW Out of Grayson’s Waterways (PDF)
Car Washing in Grayson (PDF)
Think of Water While Raking this Fall (PDF)
Storm-What? Stormwater! (PDF)
Paint, Paint, and More Paint (PDF)
Stormwater Education for Businesses
Preventative Maintenance
For many businesses in Gwinnett it’s a lot easier to prevent a mess than it is to clean it up. Preventative maintenance involves inspecting, maintaining, and testing equipment and systems regularly to spot any conditions that could potentially cause breakdowns or spills. It also involves finding sources for potential pollutants to escape, and having a plan in place to deal with any leaks that occur. Writing a preventative maintenance plan and training your staff will help keep preventative top-of-mind and protect our water resources.
Surface Cleaning
Keeping workspaces clean at our businesses is an important part of watershed protection. Indoor floors and the ground outside can occasionally require a wash, but the methods of cleaning these workspaces might introduce potential pollutants to the environment. Power washing can discharge harmful chemicals, as well as the grime on the surface such as oil, antifreeze, or grease, to the stormwater drainage system. This is why it’s important to avoid using soaps and solvents if possible, or be sure to collect and dispose of wastewater properly.
Non-Storm Water Discharges
Non-storm water discharges are any flows to local waterbodies that are not entirely made of stormwater. Gwinnett businesses can see if non-storm water discharges have occurred by noticing surface staining leading to a storm drain or seeing pools of water when it hasn’t rained in a while. If you notice any of these signs, you should work with your management to identify the source, implement remedial action, and develop a plan to prevent the discharge from occurring again. Storm drains lead directly to aquatic environments, so at your business be sure only rain goes down the drain.
Outdoor Material Management
Some materials at Gwinnett businesses must
be kept outdoors. However, this can make them susceptible to becoming a
pollutant in the environment. Covering outdoor storage will not only protect
the environment but also the items being stored. Use a tarp or shrink wrap to
protect materials. Put the material on a pallet to keep it off the ground or
store it in secondary containment like double walled containers or shed. It is
also important to keep all lids and caps on containers when not in use, store
materials as far as possible from storm drain inlets, exercise care and
planning when transferring items to minimize spills, and have spill-response
materials ready to quickly mediate spills.
Environmental Resources
Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful: www.gwinnettcb.org
Gwinnett Extension Service: www.gwinnettextension.com
Clean Water Campaign: www.cleanwatercampaign.org
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who do I call if I have a water quality concern or suspect water pollution is occuring?
A: The Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources at 678.376.7000
Q: Who do I call if I see someone dumping a substance into a storm drain?
A: The Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources at 678.376.7000
Q: Who do I call if I have a stormwater drainage concern?
A: The City of Grayson at 770.963.8017