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Home>Council Services>Waste & Environment>Stormwater Quality
Tips to help prevent stormwater pollution:
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 In the garden
In the street
With the car
Tips on car washing
When renovating
| In the garden | | DO- Sweep the gutters and driveways regularly and place the sweepings on the garden, compost or in the bin.
- Prevent soil or mulch from being washed or blown off the garden
- Rake up leaves or lawn clippings and use them as mulch on the garden or place them in the compost
- Consider natural alternatives to pest control chemicals
DON’T- Hose dirt off hard surfaces (roads, paths, driveways) into gutters
- Hose leaves and grass clippings into gutters
- Pile sand and soil on areas where it can wash into the stormwater system
- Overuse chemicals (pesticides and herbicides) that could be washed into stormwater from the garden or yard or use too much fertilser.
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| In the street | | DO- Pick up litter in the park or on the street
DON’T- Drop packaging or cigarette butts on the ground
- Clean up pet droppings and dispose of them in the garden, rubbish bins, or in the toilet.
- Leave rubbish where bins are already full.
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| With the car | | DO- Maintain the car, making sure there are no leaks and that fuel is burnt 'cleanly' by keeping your car tuned
- Use the minimum amount of detergent for cleaning outside, and wash your car on the grass or on gravel. A better option is to take your car to a car wash, where the water is recycled.
DON’T- Work on your car (including oil changing) in a place where oil and grease may wash into gutters
- Use the minimum amount of detergent for cleaning outside, and wash your car on the grass or on gravel. A better option is to take your car to a car wash, where the water is recycled.
- Wash the car in the street using detergent
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| Tips on car washing | | Many of us like to have clean cars, but keeping cars clean and helping the environment (in particular reducing stormwater pollution) can be done at the same time. Try the following:- If washing the car on the road, or on the driveway, the soapy water containing chemicals drains straight into the stormwater system which empties into creeks, rivers and beaches.
- Wash cars over the lawn or gravel, and rather than using a hose, use a bucket with as little detergent as possible. Once the car is clean, the bucket can be emptied onto the lawn, rather than down the drain.
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| When renovating | | DO- Wash brushes and rollers over a sand filter on the lawn
- Keep paint, turps and solvents clear of gutters or drains
- Reuse turps once the paint has settled.
- Allow unused paint to dry out and then put it in the bin.
DON’T
- Wash out cement mixers or barrows so that the waste flows into street drains.
- Hose sand, gravel or cement into the gutter.
- Leave piles of sand or gravel uncovered where it could wash or blow into the gutter.
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