The Public Service Department is
responsible for all maintenance, cleaning,
rehabilitation and inspection for the storm sewer lines
within the City of Florence Service area. The storm
water system includes approximately 142 miles of storm
sewer line, 2,897 curb inlets, 429 manholes and 13
retention or detention areas. The installation of the
storm sewer system in the City of Florence started in
the early 1950’s and is in constant need of maintenance
and repair.
Project SIGNS (Signs Inspire Great Neighborhood Streams)
has coordinated with communities throughout Southwest
Ohio, Southeast Indiana, and Northern Kentucky to
install over 100 signs at roadway/stream crossing
locations. Each sign will identify the watershed and the
stream that the roadway is crossing. The signs will also
look the same throughout the tri-state area, making for
easy recognition.
Banklick Watershed Council sponsors the campaign in
Northern Kentucky in partnership with the City of
Florence and Sanitation District #1. For the City of
Florence, and most likely other communities, this will
be the beginning of an annual watershed identification
signage program that will continue in an effort to raise
public awareness.
This initiative began during a nine-day watershed
educational outreach campaign. The coalition has
submitted educational articles to local press, sponsored
water quality ads in local theaters, and distributed
flyers, static decals, and temporary tattoos throughout
area grade schools. So keep an eye out for us at a
stream near you.
Kentucky is home to 52 species of
mosquitoes. Every year people have to battle with these
insects. The battleground is often yards of homes where
there is standing water, creating an ideal breeding
ground. They come and lay hundreds of eggs, which in
turn hatch to be new mosquitoes in about a week.
Stagnate water in old tires, ponds, birdbaths,
unmaintained fountains, toys, clay pots, buckets and
other containers suit their needs.
Stop mosquitoes in your own backyard
*Drain and remove any container that could hold water.
*Recycle any unused containers that could collect water.
*Change water every week in birdbaths, wading pools,
watering troughs, and pet bowls. Fill in puddles.
*Check and clean clogged gutters.
*Repair or replace window/door screens to keep the bugs
out.
*Fix any leaking exterior faucets and sprinklers.
*Keep ponds free of vegetation and stock with fish.
*Wear light colored long sleeves, long pants and a hat
when you are going to be outside at dawn or dusk.
*Use mosquito repellent.
Make sure your yard doesn’t become a mosquito breeding
ground, eliminate possible breeding sites. By
understanding where mosquitoes live and breed, you can
control mosquito populations and reduce your risk of
being exposed to mosquito-borne diseases.
The City Of Florence treats all publicly owned property
for mosquito populations.
Q: What is Storm Water?
A: Storm water is water from precipitation that flows
across the ground and pavement when it rains or when
snow and ice melt. The water seeps into the ground or
flows into what we call storm sewers. These are the
drains you see at street corners or at low points on the
sides of your streets. The runoff is of concern because
of the pollutants it carries.
Q: Where does the storm water go after it drains into
the storm drain?
A: Storm water that does not seep into the ground drains
into a system of underground pipes and flows into our
waterways.
Q: What are common Contributors to Storm Water
Pollution?
A: The number one contributor to storm water pollution
in the state of Kentucky is sediment. Sediment comes
from exposed ground without vegetation. This is a huge
problem around construction sites, agricultural fields,
roadways, and suburban gardens. Practices should be in
place so that no dirt reaches the sidewalks, streets,
and storm sewers. When it rains; oil, antifreeze,
detergents, pesticides, and other pollutants get washed
from driveways, backyards, parking lots, and streets
into storm drains and then deposited in our waterways.
Q: What is a Watershed
A: A Watershed is a region in which all land drains to a
particular body of water or common point. It could be as
small as your back yard or as large as any major river
basin. The City Of Florence is located in three
Watersheds - Gunpowder Creek, Banklick, and the Ohio
River Watersheds.
Q: What is the Clean Water Act (CWA)?
A: The Clean Water Act was enacted in 1977 with the goal
of restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and
biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.
Q: What is a point source?
A: A point source is an identified source or location,
also referred as, “the end of the pipe”. It is commonly
associated with wastewater treatment plant discharge,
factories, industries, or any type of facility that has
a point of discharge.
Q: What is a nonpoint source?
A: Nonpoint is just a fancy term for runoff from land
Q: Who needs a storm water permit?
A: NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System) Storm Water Permits are required for discharges
from the following three areas selected industrial
facilities, construction sites that disturb 1 or more
acres, and selected municipalities (like the City Of
Florence).
Q: What is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) Program?
A: Mandated by Congress under the Clean Water Act, the
NPDES Storm Water Program is a comprehensive two-phase
national program for addressing the nonagricultural
sources of storm water discharges, which adversely
affect the quality of our nation’s waters. The program
uses the NPDES permitting mechanism to require the
implementation of controls designed to prevent harmful
pollutants from being washed by storm water runoff into
local water bodies. Polluted storm water runoff is a
leading cause of impairment to the nearly 40 percent of
surveyed U.S. water bodies which do not meet quality
standards. Over land or via storm sewers, polluted
runoff is discharged, often untreated, directly into our
local water bodies. When left uncontrolled, this water
pollution can result in the destruction of fish,
wildlife, and aquatic life habitats; a loss in aesthetic
value; and threats to public health due to contaminated
food, drinking water supplies, and recreational
waterways.
Q: What is required of regulated entities under the
NPDES Storm Water Program?
A: The regulated entities must obtain under an NPDES
storm water permit and implement Storm Water Pollution
Prevention Plans or storm water management programs that
effectively reduce or prevent the discharge of
pollutants into receiving waters.
Household Hazardous Waste
Almost every home contains hazardous products, or
products that can harm human health or the environment
if improperly handled. They are products used in
cleaning, home improvements, and automobile maintenance,
lawn and garden care, hobbies, and a variety of other
tasks.
Americans generate 1.6 million tons of household
hazardous waste per year. The average home can
accumulate as much as 100 pounds of household hazardous
waste in the basement or garage and in storage closets.
Individuals pouring wastes down the drain, on the
ground, into storm sewers, or putting them out with the
trash are disposing of household hazardous wastes
improperly. When improperly disposed of, household
hazardous waste can create a potential risk to people
and the environment.
Safe Management Methods
Because of the potential risks associated with household
hazardous wastes, it is important that people always
use, store, and dispose of materials containing
hazardous substance safely:
Tip #1
Use and store products containing hazardous substances
carefully, to prevent accidents at home. Never store
hazardous products in food containers. Keep hazardous
products in their original container and never remove
the labels.
Tip #2
When leftovers remain, never mix household hazardous
waste with other products. Incompatibilities may react,
ignite, or explode; contaminated household hazardous
waste may become unrecyclable.
Tip #3
Follow any instructions for disposal and use provided on
the label.
Tip #4
Take household hazardous waste to a local collection
program, if available
One way to reduce the potential concerns associated with
household hazardous waste is to take actions that use
nonhazardous or less hazardous components to accomplish
the task at hand. We can do this by reducing the amount
and/or toxicity of products with hazardous components,
use only the amount needed. Leftover materials can be
shared with neighbors, or donated to a business charity,
or government agency, or given to a household hazardous
waste program/facility.
Recycling is an economical and environmentally sound way
to handle household hazardous waste.
Be Smart, Do Your Part
Solid Waste Resource Guide
Boone County Solid Waste Coordinator
Mary F. Shinkle
859-334-3151
Email: mshinkle@boonecountyky.org
Website: www.boonecountyky.org/bcswm/bcswm.htm
Recycling Drop Box Location
Florence Public Services Center
7850 Tanners Lane
Acceptable: Plastic #1 & #2 with a spout, glass,
aluminum and food cans, corrugated cardboard,
paperboard, magazines and newspapers
Appliance Recycling
Boone County Public Works
5645 Idlewild Rd
859-334-3600
Accepts: Refrigerators, stoves, A/C, washers, hot water
heaters, etc.
Reuse Store
Goodwill Industries
7855 Tanners Lane
Accepts: Clothing, toys, furniture, house wares,
jewelry, books, computers, etc.
Antifreeze
Boone County Public works
859-334-3151
Pesticides
Department of Agriculture
1-800-205-6543
Reduce Volume of Unwanted Mail
Write or call these companies and ask to be placed on a
“suppress” file. Include you name and address as it
appears on your junk mail.
Mail Preference Service
C/O Direct Marketing Assoc.
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008
(212) 768-7277
R.L. Polk & Company
Attn: Name Deletion File
List Compilation
6400 Monroe Blvd.
Taylor, MI 48180-1814
(800) 873-7655
Donnelly Marketing, Inc.
Data Base Operations
1235 North Avenue
Nevada, IA 50201-1419
(515) 382-5441
Clean the cooling coils on your refrigerator every six months or so. Your fridge can use up to 15% of your total energy bill, so making sure it’s running at peak efficiency can save you and the earth a bundle. Go to www.epa.gov for more tips.
