Stormwater

Stormwater is water from rain or melting snow that does not soak into the ground. Stormwater in a forest, meadow, or other natural environment usually soaks into the ground, i.e., infiltrates, or is filtered as it flows along the ground and over native vegetation. When water falls on roads and parking lots it often makes its way into nearby streams and waterbodies untreated. The pollutants carried with this stormwater said to be the most pressing pollutant problem we are facing today and are being addressed through the Clean Water Act. The City of Portsmouth is working to reduce the pollution caused by stormwater through the use of innovative stormwater treatment. At a number of locations throughout the City there are treebox filters which utilize soil and root structure of trees to reduce pollutants entering waterbodies. In addition the City has installed rain gardens, bio-swales and advanced catch basins engineered to swirl the contaminants out of the water.  More information about the City's Stormwater treatment can be found on the Public Works Stormwater page.