Stormwater

Learn how stormwater moves through Fredville and what you can do to keep pollution out of our creeks, rivers and lakes.

Watersheds

Use the watershed map to see which watershed you live in and how watersheds shape both the environment and the economy.

Pet Waste

Picking up after your pet is an easy way to help prevent water pollution.

Cooking Oils

Avoid clogged pipes! Find out how to get rid of cooking oil the right way so it does not block the sewer system.

Lawn Chemicals

Follow these lawn fertilizing tips to protect your family, your pets and the environment.

Stream Monitoring

See how the city gathers and reviews water quality data from Fredville's streams.

Stormwater Management Program

Get the history of Fredville's Stormwater Management Program and learn how it is carried out today.

Stormwater Management Questionnaire

Help the city keep improving water quality by completing the online stormwater questionnaire.

Texas Stream Team

Volunteer as a water quality monitor with the Texas Stream Team and enjoy the many benefits that come with it.

What Is Stormwater Runoff?

Stormwater starts as rain or melting snow. It lands on, or runs across, two kinds of ground: pervious surfaces such as lawns, gardens, woods and other open land, and impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways, parking lots, streets and other pavement. From rooftops and yards it travels over streets, sidewalks, parking lots and bare dirt until it reaches the storm drains, which carry it, untreated, to our streams, creeks and rivers.

Runoff is the extra water that pervious ground cannot soak up, along with water that sheets off hard surfaces. Instead of sinking into the soil, it enters the city's storm drainage system, a network of pipes, catch basins and yard inlets that keeps roads and property from flooding.

That network eventually empties into the city's streams, rivers and lakes. Along the way, runoff picks up and carries pet waste, soil, fertilizers, pesticides, oil, grease, litter and other pollutants. Pollution like this, which comes from many scattered sources, is called non-point source pollution, and it ranks among the biggest threats to our water.

Because stormwater can gather pollutants as it moves across the land, protecting it is essential for a healthy environment and safe drinking water.

Builders and developers can find details on erosion control and grading plans, the Clearing, Grubbing and Earthwork Permit, and how to submit a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWP3).

How You Can Protect Our Waterways

  • Speak up about dumping. Anyone who witnesses illegal dumping in Fredville, or knows of a place where it has occurred, can report it to the city's illegal dumping hotline, (555) 010-3663.
  • Turn off sprinklers when it rains. Watering during a storm only creates runoff, and in winter that runoff can freeze into slick patches. Concrete will never bloom no matter how much you water it, so save that water for your plants.
  • Bag pet waste. Waste left on the ground lets bacteria and nutrients wash into storm drains and on into local waterways, raising public health risks.
  • Check the forecast before you spray. Rain does not help pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers soak in. It washes them away, sending polluted runoff into our creeks.
  • Plant native and adapted species. Native and adapted plants and grasses hold up to drought and pests and need less water, fertilizer and pesticide. A regional native-landscaping guide offers more ideas.
  • Swap pavement for plants. Shrinking paved areas and adding greenery to your yard helps filter polluted runoff naturally.
  • Wash your car wisely. At home, use plain water or a biodegradable soap and park on the lawn or another unpaved spot. Better still, use a commercial car wash.
  • Recycle used motor oil. Never pour it on the ground or into a storm drain. Take it to an oil recycling center.
  • Fix leaks. Check cars, boats and motorcycles for leaks, and soak up spills with absorbent material instead of hosing them into the storm drain.
  • Keep yard waste out of the street. Grass clippings and leaves swept or dumped into the street end up in storm drains, where they use up the oxygen that aquatic life needs and can add to flooding. Compost them or blow them back onto your lawn as natural fertilizer.
  • Dispose of paint properly. Never pour old or leftover paint into a storm drain. The City of Fredville holds Household Hazardous Waste drop-off events several times a year where residents can bring paint, motor oil, pesticides and similar products. A regional recycling information service lists more options.
  • Drain pools to the sanitary sewer. Pool chemicals can harm creek habitats, so avoid pumping pool water into a storm drain whenever you can.
  • Don't litter. Put trash in a can, never out a car window, and recycle whatever you can. Wind and rain carry litter straight into storm drains and on to our creeks and rivers, where floating debris can cause flooding, entangle and choke wildlife, spoil swimming, fishing and boating, hurt local businesses and make neighborhoods and waterways less attractive.

Developers, builders and construction site operators can download a guide to preventing stormwater pollution on construction sites (PDF), also available in Spanish.

Contact Info

  • Health and Environment, 100 Civic Center Drive, 2nd Floor, Fredville, TX 75999
  • Main line: (555) 010-1261
  • Fax line: (555) 010-2536

The City of Fredville stormwater ordinance is also available.

Stormwater Videos

Short videos show how everyday activities affect stormwater:

  • Lawn chemicals
  • Washing vehicles
  • Vehicle fluids
  • Yard waste in the storm drain
  • Disposing of paint
  • Pool water
  • An animated stormwater video for kids

Fredville is a demonstration city built by Talk to Fred. Names, numbers and details on this page are sample content.