Best Management Practices to Prevent Pollution and to Protect Our Rivers & Streams
In many places in Wood Village, storm drains flow directly into a river or creek. To protect our natural waterways, City Code prohibits pouring or dumping anything into a storm drain. Learn about requirements and ways you can prevent pollution. Remember, only rain goes down a storm drain.
If a spill/discharge event is an emergency, call 911.
If a spill/discharge is reportable, visit the Oregon Emergency Response System (OERS) website or call OERS and the Natural Response Center website or call the Natural Response Center.
Report a non-emergency spill/discharge online using our Report a Spill/Discharge tool or call us.
Report a SpillDispose Properly
- Compost or bag your leaves & lawn clippings
- Don’t blow leaves or lawn clippings into the street
- Sweep up any spills or overspray of fertilizers on sidewalks or streets
Be Car Smart
- Use a commercial car wash, where water is recycled and sent to treatment facilities
- Wash your car on the lawn or gravel
- Dump your soapy bucket in the sink
Fertilize Efficiently
- Always follow the manufacturer’s application recommendations
- Fertilizing in the early fall promotes healthy root system — leading to stronger, more resilient lawns & plants
Scoop It. Bag It. Trash It.
- Clean up dog waste & dispose properly.
- Stormwater Infographic (SVG)
City of Wood Village Stormwater Inspection Program
The City of Wood Village holds a MS4 Phase II permit, serving a population less than 100,000 within a Census Bureau designated “urbanized area” (UA).
What Does This Mean?
The EPA has developed the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). NPDES attempts to reduce polluted stormwater runoff by requiring operators of Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) to implement best management practices to prevent contaminants from reaching our streams via stormwater runoff.
To maintain compliance, the City of Wood Village operates a Stormwater Inspection program based on federal, state, and local regulations. To learn more about what City requirements project developers must follow, visit our Stormwater Inspection Program page.
How Stormwater Runoff Creates Pollution
Rainwater flows from roofs, streets, or other surfaces into waterways, picking up pollutants as it goes. Ultimately, these pollutants end up in our natural waterways, lakes, streams, and oceans, creating health hazards for our communities and overall ecosystem, which is why implementing stormwater best management practices (BMPs) on a construction site is so important.
The Importance of Stormwater BMPs
Besides reducing pollutants in our waterways, there are a number of reasons to use stormwater BMPs at a construction site:
- Protect workers and the public from polluted water runoff
- Avoid costly delays by creating better flood control at the site
- Protect sand, soil, and other materials used on the site
- Fulfill legal obligations to reduce pollutants on construction sites
- Protect water sources
- Create environmental amenities, like ponds, rain gardens, and marshes, for waterfowl, native wildlife, and community recreation