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Stormwater runoff rainwater that does not soak into the ground and instead flows over land and hard surfaces can carry trash and pollutants into storm drains. These drains flow directly to local creeks, rivers, and ultimately the San Francisco Bay without any treatment.
Through its Stormwater Management Program, VTA is committed to protecting local creeks and rivers, and in turn the Bay to which they flow, by preventing pollution from stormwater runoff. In Santa Clara County, we all live in a watershed. Even if you can’t see a creek from your home, your street’s storm drain likely leads to a local waterway such as Coyote Creek, Guadalupe River, Stevens Creek, or one of their tributaries. From there, polluted runoff flows downstream to the southern San Francisco Bay. This means that what happens in our neighborhoods directly affects the health of our local creeks, wildlife, and the Bay we all share.
While many people think of factories or industrial sites as the main sources of water pollution, everyday activities around our homes here in Santa Clara County also play a major role. When it rains, water flows over local lawns, sidewalks, streets, and parking lots, picking up litter, chemicals from lawn fertilizers, bacteria from pet waste, and oil and fluids from cars. This polluted runoff enters roadside ditches and storm drains. Unlike wastewater, stormwater is not treated it flows directly through underground pipes into nearby creeks and waterways
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Stormwater runoff rainwater that does not soak into the ground and instead flows over land and hard surfaces can carry trash and pollutants into storm drains. These drains flow directly to local creeks, rivers, and ultimately the San Francisco Bay without any treatment.
Through its Stormwater Management Program, VTA is committed to protecting local creeks and rivers, and in turn the Bay to which they flow, by preventing pollution from stormwater runoff. In Santa Clara County, we all live in a watershed. Even if you can’t see a creek from your home, your street’s storm drain likely leads to a local waterway such as Coyote Creek, Guadalupe River, Stevens Creek, or one of their tributaries. From there, polluted runoff flows downstream to the southern San Francisco Bay. This means that what happens in our neighborhoods directly affects the health of our local creeks, wildlife, and the Bay we all share.
While many people think of factories or industrial sites as the main sources of water pollution, everyday activities around our homes here in Santa Clara County also play a major role. When it rains, water flows over local lawns, sidewalks, streets, and parking lots, picking up litter, chemicals from lawn fertilizers, bacteria from pet waste, and oil and fluids from cars. This polluted runoff enters roadside ditches and storm drains. Unlike wastewater, stormwater is not treated it flows directly through underground pipes into nearby creeks and waterways