Pollution Prevention & Good Housekeeping

The City of Monroe enacts an operation and maintenance program that includes employee training, facility inspections, and evaluation of current operating procedures with the ultimate goal of preventing or reducing pollutant runoff from municipal operations. The City of Monroe's employee training program educates City employees on the prevention of stormwater pollution from activities such as park and open space maintenance, vehicle and building maintenance, new construction and land disturbances, and stormwater system maintenance.

City Facilities

Stormwater staff have assessed and categorized all City-owned facilities into major and minor sites, depending on their pollution potential. All major sites are inspected annually with minor sites inspected once per permit cycle. Major facilities have site-specific Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs) to minimize stormwater pollution from facility operations. Each SWPPP includes a spill prevention and response plan, materials management, stormwater outfall monitoring, and employee training. A guide detailing good housekeeping measures for City of Monroe employees is also available for staff use.

Blue Raindrop Program

Major City facilities are evaluated annually for stormwater pollution prevention and good housekeeping measures. Sites are assessed using a detailed inspection checklist with points earned for implementing pollution control practices. The higher the score, the "bluer" the raindrop. The City presents the "Blue Raindrop Award" to City facilities that achieve high scores in the implementation of stormwater pollution prevention practices.

The Blue Raindrop achievement is awarded for excellence in "striving to keep our stormwater runoff as clean as the raindrops that fall on our facilities." 

Street Sweeping

Street sweeping is a key factor in keeping solid debris from entering the City's stormwater drainage system alongside solid waste collection. To help keep our streets clean and reduce the amount of polluted stormwater runoff from entering our waterways, the City operates two street sweepers. Curb and gutter streets are typically swept five times a year, with other streets being swept twice a year.

Storm Drainage System Maintenance

The Street Division inspects and maintains the storm drainage system after each rainfall event and on an as-needed basis. The City's stormwater utility program enables the City to have a dedicated stormwater maintenance crew responsible for repairing and cleaning the drainage system within maintained municipal street right-of-ways and improving drainage systems on private property within dedicated public easements.

Report an Issue

To report pollution that will harm our creeks and rivers, call the Stormwater Hotline at 704-282-4515.