Public Participation

Get Involved

The way we use our property affects the quantity and quality of the water that leaves our watershed and enters our creeks and reservoirs for drinking water. As a result, the solutions to stormwater pollution involve the participation of everyone living and working in Jefferson County.

Homeowners Can Help

  • Limit the amount of impervious surface on your property. Examples of impervious surfaces are driveways, sidewalks, concrete patios and outside storage buildings.
  • Use porous surfaces such as wood decking, open-celled bricks, and concrete pavers that allow water to soak into the ground.
  • Direct runoff from driveways, sidewalks, patios and other impervious surfaces across grass or toward landscaping. Vegetation filters and slows runoff and soaks up pollutants.
  • Aerate your lawn.
  • Drain roof gutters away from the foundation onto grass or toward landscaping.
  • Pile snow removed from driveways and sidewalks on vegetated areas away from ditches or waterways. This will protect ditches and waterways from pollutants such as sediment, salt, oil, and grease.
  • Use a mulching mower or compost your grass clippings and leaves and use of compost on your garden will decrease fertilizer requirements.
  • Limit the use of pesticides and fertilizers to only what is needed. Look for less toxic alternatives.
  • Dispose of pet wastes in the garbage can.
  • Pick up litter, leaves, and debris.
  • Plant ground cover or other stabilizing vegetation to prevent erosion. Use of mulch on bare ground can also decrease erosion.
  • Sweep your driveway and sidewalks rather than hosing them down. Never sweep into streets or waterways.
  • Wash cars on permeable areas, such as gravel lots or the lawn or take your car to a commercial car wash.
  • Fix oil or other vehicle fluid leaks. Recycle oil and antifreeze.
  • Property dispose of household waste chemicals.
  • Report suspicious dumping into storm drains or suspicious outflow from a culvert or storm sewer to Planning and Zoning at 303-271-8700
  • Jefferson County Public Health maintains a list of items that can be recycled and where to take them.
  • Be informed! Seek out educational activities.

Businesses Can Help

  • When cleaning your business parking lot use a dry cleanup method and dispose as a solid waste.
  • If you are using a wet cleanup method, the site must be prepared to prevent the concentrated cleaning water from leaving the site. Power washing and allowing water to run into the storm drain is not legal. Cleaning water must be taken to a sanitary wastewater treatment facility. Please review the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s recommendations for discharge of process wastewater from power washing operations.external_site_marker
  • When removing snow from parking lots or driveways pile on vegetated areas away from any ditch or waterway. Don’t push snow into waterways because it may contain pollutants such as sediment, salt, oil, or grease.
  • What litters your property eventually is carried to a storm sewer, gulch or creek. Facility managers can prevent contaminants from polluting stormwater runoff by implementing a few best management practices.