Where Does It Go


​Just for Kids​

Welcome to a page made just for YOU! Do you know how our creeks, rivers, and lakes get polluted? Have you ever wondered what that hole along the street or sidewalk is? Well, read on!

What’s stormwater pollution? Stormwater is the water that runs down the street when it's raining. Stormwater enters holes in the gutter called storm drain system inlets. Water that flows down the street when it's not raining, like when you wash your car or water your lawn, is called urban runoff.

After stormwater and urban runoff flow into the storm drain, they travel to the nearest creek, river, or lake so our streets don’t flood. That means any pollutant on the street or in urban runoff gets carried to our creeks, rivers, and lakes!

Yuck! Can you imagine swimming in all the gross stuff that’s on our streets? Soaps, grass clipping, trash, pet waste, pesticides and fertilizers, dirt, and oil are just some of the pollutants that make our water unhealthy for people and other animals.

Can you think of all the possible pollutants that float down a storm drain and contaminate our water? To help you understand all the different things that could act as pollutants, click here.​