Clean Water Act
The City of Jeffersonville is working diligently to meet the terms of its Consent Decree and comply with the Clean Water Act. This is a multi-year initiative that includes hundreds of sewer improvements and storm water management projects and you will continue to see work throughout the city over the next several years.
The City is committed to making our community cleaner, healthier and more sustainable. Residents play an important role in helping us meet that goal. The major culprit in Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) in Jeffersonville is storm water – not sewage. CSOs occur when too much storm water fills combined sewers beyond what they can hold, causing the wastewater/storm water mixture to overflow into local bodies of water.
Residents and business throughout the City can take simple measures to effectively manage storm water and protect the sewer system:
- Do not litter and do not dispose of trash, pet waste, disposable wipes, paper towels, grease, oil or any hazardous household waste (like paint) by flushing it down your toilet or pouring it down your drain or into the street. See some common, improperly disposed of items found in the sewer system by by clicking this link: THINK BEFORE YOU FLUSH!opens PDF file and WIPES CLOG PIPES!opens PDF file
- Use rain barrels to capture storm water runoff
- Install rain gardens to capture storm water runoff
- Disconnect your downspouts and sump pump from your sewer line.
- Reduce impervious surfaces (blacktop and concrete, for example) on your property wherever possible and increase greenspace.
- Reduce water usage during rainy weather.
- Keep your lateral sewer line (the line that runs through your property between your house and the city’s line at the street) in good working condition.
- Avoid planting trees near sewer lines since roots can invade your sewer line, blocking and damaging sewers. Click here for more on root invasion.opens PDF file
