Welcome to Sumter Stormwater Solutions!
Sumter Stormwater Solutions includes Sumter County and the City of Sumter. The goal of this consortium is to enhance water resource protection and stewardship through education, pubic involvement, and partnerships.
Announcements
Thank you, Volunteers!
On March 31, 13 students from Crestwood High School braved the rain to clean up trash from Turkey Creek in Sumter. This urban stream carries stormwater from the east side of town into the Pocotaligo River. The group removed eight tires, the remains of three TVs, and other trash and debris from the stream and roadside. We appreciate them doing their part to keep Sumter's water clean!
Year 3 Annual Education Report Completed
The Sumter Stormwater Solutions Annual Education Report for 2010-2011 is now available online. Follow this link to see what we've accomplished over the past year, including photos, quotes, and our plans for the upcoming year. Congratulation to Sumter County, City of Sumter, and all of our education partners whose hard work made these efforts possible.
New Tools on the Carolina Clear Website
Carolina Clear has added two new pages to help you prevent pollution. Follow the links below to learn more.
Pond Management Website
- Find the answers to common questions about taking care of your
stormwater ponds, inluding fish kills, bank erosions, aeration, nuisance
wildlife, and more. This is a great resource for HOA's and private
owners!
Restaurants and Stormwater
- This website explains proper management of FOGs (Fats, Oils and
Grease) for restaurants. These include putting greate properly in
grease disposal bins, never pouring oil down sinks, an cleaning
strategies to keep FOGs out of stormdrains. Many of these rules apply
to homes, too!
Recent Events:
Establishing Grass to Save Water
On Jan. 17, 2012, 42 participants attended our second Stormwater Basics Workshop: Establishing Vegetative Cover. The workshop included field demonstrations of equipment and techniques as well as classroom presentations. Participants learned about preparing the site, seed selection, seeding rates, balancing pH, stabilizing water channels, and many other topics. Contractors can't close out a project without 70% permanent cover on the site. This workshop provided them the information they need to acheive that goal.
Thank You River Sweep 2011 Volunteers!
On September 17, volunteers picked up 32 bags of trash and 10 bags of recyclables from a stormwater channel behind the Sumter Mall which flows into Shot Pouch Creek and Swan Lake. River Sweep is a statewide annual event organizing volunteers to pick up trash from beaches, rivers and streams throughout South Carolina. Thanks everyone for your help in protecting Sumter's streams! See more photos on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/midlandsstormwater!
Rain Garden Installed at Patriot Park
On August 12 & 16, volunteers and Sumter County Staff installed a rain garden at Patriot Park to capture and treat water from the parking lot and soccer fields. A rain garden is a flower bed set lower than the surrounding area so that rain drains into it, where it has a chance to sink into the soil. Plants and soil microbes break down toxins like oil, gasoline, and fertilizer in the runoff, making the water cleaner and recharging the groundwater table.
Want to learn more about rain gardens and possibly create one at your home? Check out Carolina Clear's "Rain Garden Manual." Free download!
Past Events...