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Storm Water Drainage

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Storm Sewers
The purpose of the storm water system is to collect rainwater that drains off properties and from the roadway, and carry the rainwater directly into a natural watercourse – a creek, stream or river. Catch basins are located at regular intervals along the roadway to collect this storm water. If a street does not have a public storm sewer, there will be a drainage way or open ditch along the road to collect the rainwater. This ditch then carries the storm water downstream to a point where it can drain into a natural watercourse.

 

 

 

DUMPING ANYTHING BUT RAINWATER IN STORM SEWERS  OR DRAINAGE DITCHES IS ILLEGAL.

 

TO REPORT ILLEGAL DUMPING, CALL:

PUBLIC WORKS 
(937) 428-4782

POLICE (AFTER BUSINESS HOURS)

(937) 433-7661

Nothing except rainwater should enter the storm water system. Residents should not dump lawn clippings, leaves or any other solid matter into a catch basin because this debris can clog the storm sewer and prohibit water from draining properly. Dumping paint, motor oil, and other waste products into a catch basin is illegal and contaminates the creek, stream or river and damages wildlife.   

The City of Centerville has laws prohibiting illegal dumping that carry fines. 

Storm Sewers and Sanitary Sewers

pw_storm sewer

A storm sewer system carries rainwater through pipes to a creek, stream, or river.

  

pw_sanitary sewer

A sanitary sewer collects wastewater from individual properties and carries it to a wastewater treatment facility.

Who Maintains the Storm Sewer System?

Property owners are responsible for keeping open ditches mowed and the culvert pipe under their driveway clear and in good repair to allow water to flow adequately in the ditch.  The maintenance and repair of the public storm sewer system is the responsibility of the City. To connect a yard drain to the public storm sewer, please contact the City Public Works Department at 428-4782 for information and to obtain a permit.  Roof drains, foundation drains or other clean water connections to the sanitary sewer are prohibited.

 

Storm Water Phase II
pw_engineeringThe Federal Clean Water Act of 1974 established requirements for improving water quality.  In 2002, the Federal government included additional responsibilities on small local governments to implement storm water quality standards.

As required by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the City of Centerville filed for a permit under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). The City must perform activities within each of the six required minimum control measures:

  1. Public Education and Outreach on Storm Water Impacts (Click here for related articles)
  2. Public Involvement/Participation
  3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
  4. Construction Site Storm Water Runoff Control
  5. Post-Construction Storm Water Management in New Development and Redevelopment
  6. Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations 

Other resources: 

- United State Environmental Protection Agency

- Ohio Environmental Protection Agency

- Miami Conservancy District

- Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission

- Montgomery County Environmental Services