When rain falls in Indianapolis, it runs off of rooftops, parking lots, lawns and other surfaces into the city's stormwater drainage system. Many parts of the city lack adequate storm sewers and drainage, leading to standing water in yards and flooded streets and basements.
Poor stormwater control in outlying parts of Marion County also can contribute to raw sewage overflows into our rivers and streams. Standing water can increase inflow and infiltration of clear water into the sanitary sewers and combined sewers, contributing to overflows and backups. Standing water also can prevent septic systems from working properly. In the winter, poor drainage can lead to dangerous black ice on roadways.
Over a five-year period, the city logged more than 12,500 stormwater and drainage complaints through the Mayor's Action Center.
What is Stormwater?
Stormwater is the surface runoff of rain and snow melt. In undeveloped areas such as grasslands and forests, the surface flow of water is slowed by vegetation and much of the water seeps into the ground.
With urban growth and development, much of the open land is replaced by "hard surface" areas, such as buildings, streets and parking lots, which are unable to absorb stormwater. Because these improvements result in increased amounts of stormwater runoff, a stormwater drainage system is necessary to channel this runoff out of urban areas and reduce the occurrence of flooding.
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