The Hidden River Under Your Feet

Storm drains do not lead to a sewage treatment plant. Instead, they carry rain and runoff directly into our local rivers, lakes, and oceans without any filtration at all.

Most people assume that water flowing into a gutter is cleaned before it returns to nature. In reality, anything washed off the street, including motor oil, chemicals, and trash, flows straight into our environment. This infrastructure was built solely to prevent urban flooding by moving water away as fast as possible. Understanding this helps explain why keeping our streets clean is actually a vital way to protect local wildlife.