Storm Water Education

Public Education About Storm Water Everyone Can Contribute to Pollution & Pollution Prevention Manchester's Storm Water Management Program (SWMP) is finalized. Recent studies of the Merrimack River indicate that greater than 80 percent of the pollution comes from Non-Point Sources (NPS). Individual residences make up a large portion of that 80 percent. Some residents use catch basins to dispose of used oil, gasoline, paints, paint thinners, and other products believing this waste will go to the wastewater plant for treatment. This waste does not go to the treatment plant, but directly to the Merrimack River or other ponds, lakes and wetlands within Manchester.
Properly Dispose of Your Wastes If you change your oil at home, put the used oil in a waste container. Don't dispose of used oil, antifreeze, paints and thinners in the catch basins or garbage, but save it for the annual household hazardous waste collection day. Remember one gallon of oil or gasoline can pollute up to one million gallons of water. Quite a price to pay for one unthoughtful act! Do your part to protect our environment, not only for us, but for our future generations. Information on the City's hazardous waste collection day may be viewed at Manchester Recycling Information.
Test Your Pollution Prevention Knowledge This is a fun website developed for Middle School students. It is surprising for most adults as they begin to realize how little they do know about NPS pollution. The associated links within that site are very informative. There are interesting science projects outlined that are fairly simple to reproduce and complete. These projects bring home the reality of how the impact of each individual does contribute to the greater than 80 percent NPS pollution currently in Manchester's waterways.

last changed 1/11/2010