City of Coral Gables

SOP Technologies Community Stormwater Watch

Thank you for caring and being an active defender of our environment, our home. Your input helps the City of Coral Gables Public Works Department document and prevent water pollution.

City of Coral Gables Public Works Department

By scanning QR codes next to SOP Technologies stormwater filters, you are adding to documentation that assists with pollution prevention efforts.

This stormwater filter project aligns with the City of Coral Gables goal in creating a more sustainable and resilient City Beautiful. With over 40 miles of coastline and waterways, Biscayne Bay and our waterways play a vital role in our City’s past, present and future. The City is committed to protecting Biscayne Bay and our local waterways for current and future generations.

The map below shows locations of SOP Technologies stormwater filters in the City of Coral Gables.

More about NUtrient Pollution

What is Nutrient Pollution?

Nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, are naturally occurring – but can be too much of a good thing when found in high concentrations in our waterways.
These nutrients are very high in sewage, septic tanks, storm-water runoff, and fertilizers.
Nutrient pollution can contribute to algae blooms. Algae blooms turn the water green and smell terrible, smothering seagrass and killing fish -- they can even be harmful to humans.

Potential Sources of Nutrient Pollution

Fertilizers: Fertilizer is often over-used in residential landscaping. Biscayne Bay and our canals are extremely sensitive to excess nutrients, so we have to be sure to keep these nutrients out of the water to avoid algae blooms.
Septic Tanks: When not properly cared for, septic tanks can leak or flood – creating a land-based source of pollution that drains into our waterways. This pollution can also contaminate the aquifer, our drinking water stored underground. Always maintain your septic tank and have it regularly inspected.
Storm-Water Runoff: Storm-water Runoff is any type of water that doesn’t soak into the ground, but instead “runs off” down a drain or grate and into a waterway. Sometimes this water flows over polluted areas such as parking lots, roads, industrial sites, or yards, bringing contamination into waterways.

FERTILIZERS

May 15th marks the beginning of the rainy season in Miami-Dade County, as defined by the Fertilizer Ordinance that was passed by the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners. During this season, residents, landscape companies, and condominium associations, among others, are prohibited from using fertilizer. Fertilizer runoff was shown as one of the top contributors to the August 2020 fish kill in Biscayne Bay, along with rising temperatures and lack of oxygen. The rainy season is in effect through October 31st. The City of Coral Gables’ greenspace management division follows the new county ordinance on Fertilizer.

Learn more about Fertilizer use and efforts by the City of Coral Gables

stormwater Runoff and the City of Coral Gables, FL

Stormwater runoff is generated from rain events that flow over land or impervious surfaces, such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops, and does not soak into the ground. The runoff picks up pollutants like trash, chemicals, oils, and dirt/sediment that can harm our rivers, streams, lakes, and coastal waters.

On average, Miami-Dade County receives over 60 inches of rainfall per year.
Events like tropical storms and hurricanes may bring large amounts of rainfall to the region in a short period of time. However, we don’t need a hurricane for us to experience a significant rain event.
Many parts South Florida, including Coral Gables, sit on porous limestone, allowing rainfall to percolate into the ground through the limestone and help recharge our aquifer.
The City of Coral Gables stormwater system consists of:
- Approx. 2,700 Catch Basins
- Approx. 20 miles of pipes
- Approx. 53,000 LF of exfiltration trenches and slab covered ditches
- 2 Pumps stations
- 108 Outfalls
- Over 42 miles of coastline/waterways
Exfiltration trenches and slab covered ditches operate by taking storm water runoff captured by inlets and catch basins, bypassing impermeable surfaces such as pavement, parking lots, driveways, sidewalks and roofs, and diverting the flow underground into the limestone subsurface. Some of these systems may include overflow connections to outfall pipes into our waterways or one of our 2 storm water pump stations.
Significant rain events may result in the saturation of the limestone subsurface, resulting in temporary ponding or flooding until this underground runoff can dissipate into our waterways. This can be exacerbated by the fall king tides and potentially future sea level rise.
The city’s storm water system is regulated as per the National Pollutant D ischarge Elimination System (NPDES) by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).
Keeping our streets and stormwater system clean is crucial. Whatever ends up on our streets (litter/trash, harmful chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, oils) and landscape debris) can clog our drains, enter our drainage system and eventually discharge into waterways and Biscayne Bay.