SUMMIT COUNTY, OHIO—Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro and Engineer Alan Brubaker are asking residents to join them in recognizing Stormwater Awareness during the week of October 17-23. The awareness campaign aims to draw attention to the effect stormwater has on infrastructure in Summit County and Ohio, and how residents can play a role in stormwater management. The Summit County Soil and Water Conservation District, other conservation districts and municipalities throughout the state are supporting the effort. The theme for this year’s campaign is “Clean Streams Start with You”.
“While we may not always realize it, stormwater has a significant impact on our day to day lives. Runoff from stormwater can harm our water quality, and damage our property and shared environment. The little things we all do at home can make a big difference. We encourage all residents to educate themselves about how they can help manage the effects of stormwater in our community,” said County Executive Shapiro.
Population growth, residential and commercial development, and the resulting changes to the landscape all affect water quality and quantity in Summit County. To combat these issues, the County created the Surface Water Management District in 2017 to aid local communities in their efforts to address stormwater problems.
“Our offices are constantly looking at solutions for the stormwater concerns in Summit County. We have made progress in recent years and hope to make much more progress in the future. This week, we urge our residents to consider how they too can help us manage stormwater and limit its effect in our community,” said County Engineer Alan Brubaker.
Summit County is committed to working collaboratively with its communities and partners to better manage stormwater, and is studying the use of federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars to make once-in-a-lifetime investments in stormwater infrastructure. The County and its partners plan to present ideas to County Council in the coming weeks.
Residents interested in supporting efforts to keep local streams clean and mitigate the effects of stormwater can help by:
- Planting native plants and trees.
- Properly disposing of chemicals and hazardous waste.
- Keeping storm drains clear of debris like leaves and litter.
- Always picking up and throwing away pet waste.
- Volunteering at or organizing a socially distanced stream cleanup.
More information about Stormwater Awareness Week is available at https://www.summitengineer.net/pages/2021-Stormwater-Awareness-Week.html.
