Here are some of the things you can do in your yard to help protect the environment from the impacts of stormwater like flooding, erosion and pollution.
Remove unused or unnecessary pavement. Removing pavement or other hard surfaces around your property helps absorb more rain before it becomes stormwater runoff.
Replace hard surfaces with permeable pavement. You can replace pavement with permeable pavement. Permeable pavements should be located down-gradient from building foundations. If the permeable pavement receives drainage from other surfaces, it must be installed at least four metres down-gradient from the building foundation.
Replace grass and artificial lawns with native plants, shrubs, and trees. During bigger storms, grass lawns are not deep enough to absorb all the stormwater. Artificial lawns don’t absorb any stormwater. When the lawn stops or does not absorb any stormwater it ends up in the City’s stormwater drainage system.
Grass lawns and artificial lawns need a lot of water and work to stay nice looking. If you’re looking to replace your grass or artificial lawn, try planting gardens with native plants, shrubs, and trees in their place. Native plants need less fertilizer and water than ornamental plants. Check Credit Valley Conservation's rain-ready plant list to discover native plants and shrubs that help manage stormwater.
Use deep garden beds and lots of mulch. By installing and maintaining deep soil beds and using mulch, you can save on the cost of watering your gardens. Deep soil and mulch help absorb and retain stormwater, helping keep your gardens from drying up.
Install rain barrels. You can save costs on watering your gardens by installing a rain barrel. A rain barrel is a container that catches stormwater from a roof downspout. The stormwater is collected and stored in the barrel so it can be reused to water your lawn and garden during dry summer days.