Water goes down the drain in your home and water that flows down the street in your community flows into a storm drain. Does all that water go to the same place?

To use a popular phrase, “No, but yes.”

No, the storm drains and the sewer systems are completely separate, but yes, water from both systems can – and does – find its way to the ocean. The wastewater from in-home use flows into the sewer system, where the water is extensively treated before it’s returned to the environment. Water treated at the

Tapia Water Reclamation Facility is cleaned so thoroughly; you could legally and safely swim in it.

Water entering storm drains you see along our streets flows directly into the creek system and eventually to the ocean. The big difference is that most water entering the storm drain system is not treated. Along its path, it often collects trash, fertilizers, pesticides, automotive fluids such as oil and coolants, animal droppings, leaves, grass clippings and more. In the near future there will be considerable focus on intercepting or removing storm water contaminants.

Urban runoff, or stormwater, is often responsible for the closing of beaches after a storm event because of the untreated contaminants it carries to the ocean.