Residential construction
Silt, sand and soil will all leave this construction site at the next rain and roll it into Nashville's waterways via storm drains.
Whether commercial or residential in nature, all construction sites in Nashville must have erosion control and/or properly installed silt fencing.
Residential construction sites
Erosion control is required in Nashville.
Whether commercial or residential in nature, all construction sites in Nashville must have erosion control and/or properly installed silt fencing.
Liquids. Paint. Oils.
Only water is suitable for storm drains.
Paint brush cleaning solutions, spilled industrial liquids, mop water and grease/oil are all situations that can be reported through our Storm Drain Adoption program.
Lawn care (less)
Lawn clippings decompose and become sediment, Nashvile's top waterway pollutant.
Grass clippings blown into the street will end up in the gutter and storm drains at the first rain. Blow them back onto your yard for free fertilizer.
Nope!
Only rain belongs in the drain.
Sediment is caused when excessive organic matter decomposes and settles into our creeks and streams. Sediment is the #1 pollutant in our local waterways, and storm drains are a key doorway to the problem.
Best Neighbor Award
This homeowner raked leaves from the adjacent curb and gutter to prevent them from reaching the storm drain.
Landscape gravel
A drain full of gravel will impede flow.
Sloppy landscaping crews sometimes leave gravel, mulch or soil in the street. It will proceed to the storm drain upon heavy rains.
Landscape gravel II
Clearly you can see where this is headed next.
A broom and a shovel – key remedies for a pending storm drain issue.
Erosion control and silt fences
Every construction project in Metro requires silt fences to reduce erosion. This is a failed installation, very common across Nashville.
Completely compacted
Years of neglect has rendered this storm drain completely obsolute.
One good cleaning with regular maintenance will put this drain back in working order.
A standard drain scenario
Chances are good that you'll encounter a drain that looks just like this.
Removing this debris will keep the storm drain system working as it should.
Cigarette butts
Cigarette butts are the most common matter found in our storm drains.
Most companies impose "no smoking" policies and require their employees to smoke off-site. It's a short-sighted solution that creates a bigger problem for the environment when those employees leave their work site and toss their butts into the nearby street.
The Plastic Revolution
Plastic bottles, plastic cups and plastic wrappers are among the most prevelant trash found in storm drains.
Two minutes of your adoption effort is valuable service that will be felt all the way to the Gulf of Mexico, since storm water in Middle Tennessee eventually ends up there.
Construction culprits
This commercial development frequently violates Metro's storm water ordinances.
If you encounter problems as significant as this, please complete a field report and we'll dispatch local water officials to resolve.
Construction culprits II
This commercial development frequently violates Metro's storm water ordinances.
If you encounter problems as significant as this, please complete a field report and we'll dispatch local water officials to resolve.
Garbage in, garbage out
This is the inside of a storm drain at the corner of 8th Avenue South and Bradford Avenue.
Once this fills with water, it will carry the trash into our storm drains and cause a roadblock somewhere downline.