When It Rains

By Dacula Mayor Jimmy Wilbanks

Twice yearly, the Mayor’s office provides information about our storm water management program with emphasis on lessening or preventing point source pollution of storm water. I think the improvements to drainage and storm water management the City is making along with our 5-year traffic improvement program is steadily improving handling storm-water impoundment on city streets and near the rights-of-way. During this rainy season, I have noticed a marked improvement.

Much of the potential of non-point source pollution for storm water comes from the runoff from roofs and lawns of residential and commercial buildings. This can include fertilizers, pesticides, oil from driveways, other chemicals and the like. This is especially a problem during times of heavy rain and unsettled weather of the kind we are currently experiencing in the Dacula area.

There are a number of steps that a resident or business owner can take to help reduce or eliminate non-point source pollution. Visit the city website to learn about 10 ways you can help prevent stormwater pollution. You can also find additional details about the city's stormwater ordinance on the Daculaga.gov website. A resident or business owner might elect to create a rain garden on the property to slow down the runoff or to allow it to soak in on the property.

Additional information can be located at the Clean Water Campaign website.

Two immediate actions that property owners can do during this rainy weather is to see that curb and gutter adjacent to you property lines are clean and free of debris and where there is no curb & gutter, keep drainage channels clear of debris and open.