ABSTRACT
The pollution aspects of stormwater are related to the substances that become entrained in it
from its point of origin to its point of discharge into a water body. Stormwater originates from
the clouds and its first contamination is from pollution sources contained within the air we
breathe. Most notable and well known is the pollution related to acid rain. Acid rain is
generally stormwater that has absorbed airborne contaminants propagated by the burning of
sulfur-bearing fuels used for heating and power generation. The oxidation of the sulfur and
subsequent reaction with atmospheric water vapor produces sulfuric acid. This is but one
example of a mechanism that contributes to the contamination of stormwater. Further details
with respect to acid rain and other pathways involving the entrapment of pollutants in
stormwater are discussed in Section 6.3.
