In Norfolk, many of our lakes are used as drinking water reservoirs. Four quarts of motor oil can create an 8-acre oil slick and contaminate millions of gallons of drinking water. These items decompose in water, removing oxygen needed for aquatic life. Yard waste can also clog the storm water system, contributing to street flooding. Litter often ends up floating in the ocean or washing up on our beaches.
Plastic litter endangers marine animals, which eat it mistakenly as food and become entangled in it.
It is the largest contributor of storm water pollution by volume. The Environmental Storm Water Management Program provides a variety of services to our customers. The services provided by the Environmental Storm Water Management Program are funded by fees charged to residential and nonresidential properties. Fees are based on the property's contribution to storm water runoff. Impervious surfaces adversely impact the volume, quality, and speed with which runoff and pollutants reach the storm water system and our local waterways.