NEMO is a research based educational program that has designed and tested new ways of presenting information using GIS since 1991. The technical nature of the program is designed around the intended audience of engineers, planners, and commissioners - all decision makers in local government. NEMO's presentations and their various programs focus on the explanation of nonpoint sources and their link to different land uses. Particular attention is paid to the role played by impervious, or paved, surfaces in the transport and concentration of pollutants. NEMO suggests that local officials can use impermeable coverage as an indicator of both development and its impact on water.
Research shows that impermeable surfaces negate the earth's ability to absorb and filter runoff.
Stormwater can include pathogens, toxins, debris, nutrients and thermal pollution. Add in the asphalt from surrounding commercial developments and the percentage goes up. NEMO gives presentations throughout the US and also helps local governments develop their nonpoint pollution education and technology programs. The goal of NEMO is to successfully link natural resources, land use planning and long-term community health to reduce nonpoint source pollution. A dump station allows sewage to be removed from a boat and then disposed of through established treatment procedures.