Welcome to the City of Memphis Storm Water DEPARTMENT Webpage!
We are part of the City of Memphis Division of Public Works.
Our vision is for a cleaner, greener City with awareness that every citizen has an impact on the quality of water that flows down our roads, into our watersheds, and ultimately down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. We envision a City with awareness that our daily actions and inactions impact the globe.
BE A POLLUTION PREVENTER!!
INDIVIDUALS & FAMILIES
From bagging or mulching leaves to picking up after your pets, find out what you can do as an individual or family to make a positive impact on water quality!
BUSINESSES
From sweeping patios and lots to emptying trash cans regularly, find out what you can do as a business to make a positive impact on water quality!
CONTRACTORS & CONSULTANTS
Construction sites have a lot of regulations regarding Erosion Prevention & Sediment Control. Check out regulatory references here to make a positive impact on water quality!
WHAT IS STORM WATER?
WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT IT?
Storm Water is water that originates during precipitation events or snow/ice melt. It is a normal and necessary part of the water cycle. Before we developed this City, the storm water largely soaked into the ground and there was little runoff. The absorbed water slowly recharged receiving waters and the aquifer. This is part of a natural filtration process that cleans the water.
As we have developed the land, we have increased the amount of concrete roads, sidewalks, parking lots, and rooftops over it. These are examples of impervious surfaces. When storm water hits an impervious surface, it is not absorbed. It flows faster and travels until it reaches a surface that can absorb it. Unabsorbed storm water traveling across a surface is called runoff. The more impervious area we have, the more runoff we have.
It is necessary for Cities to have some kind of storm water drainage system. Otherwise, there would be nothing in place to direct storm water runoff away from our homes and businesses.
About the City's Storm Water Drainage System
Our Commitment
Welcome to the City of Memphis Public Works Storm Water website! Education and public outreach are one of the most important communication efforts that local governments must focus on. Public Works is striving to improve and we hope this website will enable us to do just that. Read More
Hi everyone! My name is Gurgle and I am the storm drain ambassador! You’ll find me on the Kids Page and at the bottom of other parts of the site sharing facts about storm water and the Memphis MS4!
Learn More!
HOW YOU CAN HELP
REMEMBER . . .
Don’t Litter
Do Bag or Mulch Leaves and Grass Clippings
Don’t Dump Paint or Oil in Storm Drains or Streets
Do Use Lawn and Garden Products Properly
Only Rain Down the Storm Drain
LATEST IN STORM WATER
