Please note this website is not an official Howard County Government website. To learn more about the programs mentioned in this website and available through the Howard County Government, please visit: https://www.cleanwaterhoward.com/
The best thing to do with stormwater runoff is to treat and filter it as close to the source as possible. For many homes, the source is downspouts. Follow the flowchart below to assess your downspouts and find ways to improve stormwater management.
Definitions you may need for the flowchart
Downspout: the pipe that moves water from your gutter to the ground
Splash guard: a hard object that goes under where a downspout lets out to direct the water and prevent erosion
Pervious surface: a surface that lets water absorb through it
Impervious surface: a surface that does not allow water to absorb through it
If your downspout is buried but not directly connected to a public storm drain, use the following steps to figure out where your downspout lets out:
walk downhill from your downspouts and look for a pipe exiting the ground, a pop-up emitter, or other evidence of a previously buried pipe/dug trench.
pour colored water in your gutter/pipe, walk downhill from it, and look for where the colored water ends up
Rain barrels are one of the easiest and most inexpensive actions you can take to improve your stormwater management. Rain barrels are designed to catch and store the "first flush" of stormwater, in other words the first inch of stormwater that picks up the most readily available pollutants and sediments from rooftops. You can use the water from rain barrels to water your plants (not ones you plan on eating since there may be harmful pollutants). This allows the water to be filtered by plants and absorbed into the ground, and it prevents the water from becoming polluted runoff that washes into nearby waterways.
Rain barrels need level ground to sit on and enough space to fit under or in front of your downspout. There are two common styles of rain barrels. A directly connected rain barrel sits under the downspout and the water flows in the top. It requires you to cut your downspout to install it. If choosing this style, be sure to keep the cut downspout piece for winterization of the barrel. A diverter rain barrel is easier to install and maintain. This style involves cutting a hole in the downspout and inserting a diverter. The diverter catches most of the "first flush," and when the barrel is full it overflows where the downspout normally lets out. Both kinds need to be removed for the winter to prevent being frozen. The diverter rain barrel should come with a plug for the hole in your downspout to assist with quick winterization. A directly connected barrel will require the reinstallation of the original downspout piece that was cut when installing the rain barrel. Otherwise, the downspout will let out a few feet above ground which will cause significant erosion.
The Howard County landfill offers one free rain barrel to every residence. Rain barrels can also be purchased at Kendall's Hardware and online.
See the Resources page for installation information.
A diverter rain barrel