What is Stormwater?

Rain, sleet, and snow melt flows from our roofs, lawns, and driveways into the street or into drainage ditches, where it enters the storm sewers through drains and catch basins. This water flows untreated through an outfall and directly into a stream or lake, carrying pollutants with it.

storm water

Lake County General Health District’s Role in Stormwater

The Lake County General Health District  partners with the Lake County Stormwater Management Department (LCSMD) to help protect our rivers and lakes from pollutants that can enter the stormwater. The Health District performs outfall screenings where stormwater discharges to a waterway and investigates illicit discharges to stormwater systems.

During an outfall screening, a water sample is collected at an outfall and analyzed for a variety of components such as nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen, and salinity. More information on outfalls and screening can be found at  Stormwater Outfall Screening. Authority comes from Memoranda of Understanding with various agencies, Rules and Regulations, and local illicit discharge ordinances. Much of the structure for the rules and regulations comes from the Clean Water Act (CWA). For a summary of the CWA, and further information on laws, regulations, and enforcement, visit U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Summary of CWA, Laws & Regulations. For local concerns in Lake County, discharges of pollutants should be reported to the Health District.  Please continue to the tabs below to find more information on illicit discharges and details about the stormwater program.

Kristen Fink

Lead Registered Environmental Health Specialist

Phone: (440) 350-5833

Email: kfink@lcghd.org

Stormwater Program

Illicit Discharges

Helpful Links & Resources