Operate your business responsibly to eliminate discharges into storm drains. Never store waste materials in the street or near the creek.

• Never pour oil or grease down a storm drain or sanitary sewer. Food service businesses produce pollutants such as oil, grease, detergents, and food scraps. Grease and oil discharged into storm drains can enter the creek and decrease the oxygen content of the water, coat fish gills, and smother bottom dwelling organisms. Food scraps can cause excessive nutrient loading in the creek, which uses up oxygen needed by fish and other organisms.

Fats, oils, grease, and food particles should be placed in sealed containers and recycled. Most municipalities and garbage companies prohibit disposal of oil and grease in the garbage. Does Arlington? – ask Health Dept.

• Never dump hazardous materials or fluids into a creek or storm drain. Such materials include:

• gasoline, diesel fuel, motor oil, antifreeze, battery acid, and other automotive fluids,
• paints, thinners, and other solvents,
• carpet cleaning chemicals,
• pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides.

If proper disposal of a particular product is inconvenient, consider using an alternative product. Even in low concentrations, these products are extremely toxic to fish and other aquatic wildlife.

Place used motor oil or antifreeze in sturdy, sealed containers, caps taped down, and recycle through local auto service shops. Use water-based latex paints whenever possible; they are less toxic than oil-based paints, turpentine and thinners - and they can be recycled. Small amounts of leftover paints may be air-dried in cans and discarded in the garbage. Paint thinners should be filtered and reused. Carpet cleaning chemicals should be disposed of down a sink or toilet. If you use the services of a carpet cleaning company, make sure the company does not dispose of the water into a creek or storm drain. For landscaping, try native plants, which require less pesticides and insecticides (see section "Use of Creek-Friendly Gardening and Landscaping Practices").

• Cover and maintain dumpsters. Open or leaking dumpsters are common causes of water pollution. Close dumpster lids, place dumpsters under roofs, or cover them with plastic sheeting at the end of each work day and during rainy weather. Inspect dumpsters regularly for leaks, and repair or replace any dumpster that is not water-tight. Return dumpsters to trash haulers for cleaning. Do not hose them down or clean them on site. Ensure that dumpsters comply with city codes.
• Label storm drain inlets so employees do not dispose of waste there.
• Keep pollutants off exposed surfaces. Place trash cans around your business site to minimize litter. Dispose of wastes appropriately in covered dumpsters or recycling receptacles.
• Train employees and keep customers informed. If employees misunderstand how to handle waste, costly pollution incidents can occur. Make sure that all your employees understand and implement appropriate practices. Educate your customers as well, and prevent them from disposing of wastes improperly on your site.
• Be a zero-discharger. When you reuse and recycle fluids and other products, they never become wastes. Purchase reusable or recyclable materials whenever you can. If your business routinely uses chemicals or cleaning compounds, consider "closed loop" processes that recycle these materials.

Reducing and controlling runoff from your property and prevent contaminated runoff from reaching creeks and sensitive areas.

• Control parking lot and site drainage. Strategic grading of parking lots and other outdoor spaces can prevent runoff from contacting potentially contaminated areas and reaching creeks and sensitive areas. Consider surrounding parking lots with a well-grassed sunken strip with shrubs and trees, which can make the parking lot more attractive, as well as filter storm water pollutants. When building or grading parking areas, consider installation of oil-water separator equipment in catch basins. Clean parking lots regularly using street sweepers and dry clean up methods. Power washing may be used if the wash water is collected and disposed of properly.

• Use creek-friendly washing methods for vehicles and equipment. Do not wash cars, trucks, or other equipment in a paved parking lot or street where soap and wash water can flow into the creek or storm drain. Install a "wash pad" to capture, pre-treat and discharge the wash water to the sanitary sewer or consider using a commercial car wash.

• Clean up leaks, drips and other spills without water whenever possible. Use rags for small spills, a damp mop for general cleanup, and absorbent materials (such as cat litter) for larger spills. Clean up spills immediately. Avoid hosing or wet-mopping outdoor work areas. Dispose of clean-up materials properly. Do not dump them outside or in the creek. When cleaning inside, collect mop water and discharge into a sink or toilet.

• Check rain gutters and other pipes to see where they drain. Make sure they do not carry water directly into the creek. Runoff from roof surfaces contributes to the decline of creek health. Pipes projecting directly into a creek bank or flexible pipes allowed to drape down a bank cause erosion. Direct roof runoff to flat, grassed areas for filtration before leaving the property. Consider using cisterns, on-site filtration or gray water systems to capture roof runoff.

Unfortunately, some people think of creeks as garbage dumps. You don't have to look far to find old shopping carts, used appliances, mattresses, car parts, bottles, cans, plastic, styrofoam and paper litter. This debris can become a hazard during floods. It can also be a potential threat to groundwater quality and provide breeding places for rodents and mosquitoes. Styrofoam packing material is especially harmful to wildlife because it can be mistaken for food.

• Remove old tires, garbage, and litter from your property. Never store these materials within the flood zone. They may be carried away during storm events. These materials should be covered, if outside, so that they are not exposed to rainfall. If you need assistance removing materials from the flood zone, contact some of the organizations listed at the end of this booklet.

• Do not remove naturally fallen and accumulated woody debris from channels. Leave natural vegetation on the banks and in the channel.