Environmental Issues

Urbanization can essentially lead to Storm water pollution because of a number of reasons. Primarily, urbanization leads to more developmental infrastructure, such as parking lots, buildings, compacted soil, roads etc, thereby inhibiting the natural absorption of rain water into the ground (Guidance Manual for Developing Best Management Practices (BMP) 1993). This eventually leads to the accumulation of water on the surface which can cause the deterioration of water courses such as streams and rivers. Also, it can be the major cause of flooding if the stormrain water management system is inadequate (Trimble 2007). The accumulation of the water in itself is not the only problem in the sense that pollutants, deposited by human beings, are absorbed into the accumulated water which then seeps into the ground eventually polluting water supply under the surface as well as a river, lake or an ocean.

Storm water pollution can be a significant problem for public health in the sense that polluted water that eventually is absorbed underneath the surface or runs off into a river, lake or ocean primarily contaminates major human water supply (Trimble 2007). It can also significantly affect agriculture because polluted water absorbed by underground streams eventually leads to less arid soil as well as the fact that agricultural produce grown on such soil and the use of water from contaminated underground streams can result in crops and eventual food products to adversely affect people that consume those products (Schueler 2000). In some places, because of poverty, the only source of drinking water for people is through lakes and streams. Polluted rain water can eventually contaminate these sources of water thereby leading to various diseases and health problems.

Best Management Practices are primarily a concept developed by the United States in order to curb water pollution. It basically refers to ways through which a certain environmental protection agency works specifically to develop programs that deter pollution that is caused essentially through water. A BMP programs in regards to storm water management basically includes measures taken to change the condition of as well as the amount of urban run-off that occurs because of rapid urbanization (Guidance Manual for Developing Best Management Practices (BMP) 1993). One of the best BMP programs in regards to the appropriate management of storm water is treatment train which refers to the use of a number of physical storm water procedures in order to improve drainage water quality (Schueler 2000, Guidance Manual for Developing Best Management Practices (BMP) 1993).

One of the most important factors that can affect any storm water management program is the financial backing behind it. Firstly, initial finances will be used in order to setup the infrastructure that is required for the program to work with maximum efficiency and then eventually more injection of monetary aid would be needed in order to maintain the level of efficiency that is required. Therefore, a proper budget needs to be setup in regards to the successful working of an storm water management program.