Are You Killing Your Fish?

Water, Air and Climate Change Branch

WATER QUALITY

Are You Killing Your Fish?

Do You Know What This Is?

This is called a 'storm drain' or 'catchbasin'. There are many of these drains located throughout your neighbourhood. Their purpose is to collect rain and melted snow that drain off exposed surfaces such as roads, parking lots and driveways.

Do You Know Where It Leads To?

Many of these basins empty into underground storm sewer systems. Their contents are quickly discharged into nearby streams, which are important habitat for trout, salmon and other fish. Unlike domestic wastes collected by sanitary sewers, the contents of many storm sewers are not treated at sewage plants prior to their discharge into a stream.

fish kill dump

Are You Polluting a Stream?

Many people don't realize that household hazardous products that they wash or dump into these drains go right into their neighbourhood streams. Oils, detergents, paint compounds and solvent, pesticides and many other common household products often end up in streams via the storm sewers. Most of these contain chemicals that are toxic to fish, and many small discharges from hundreds of households can poison many miles of neighbourhood streams.

What Can You Do?

Please don't dump household hazardous products into storm drains. Some products, such as used motor oil are collected for recycling. The paint industry has established paint collection depots in your community to collect unwanted paints, stains and varnishes. Other products (such as solvents and chemical pesticides) must undergo special processing to render them harmless.

For information on local recycling and collection facilities, contact the BC Recycling Hot-line province wide at 1-800-667-4321 or 732-9253 in Greater Vancouver.

Can You Do More To Protect a Neighbourhood Stream?

Yes, you can, by becoming involved in the Storm Drain Marking Program! In many neighbourhoods, concerned citizens are voluntarily marking a yellow fish symbol beside storm drains that discharge into local streams.

The fish symbol reminds residents that if they permit toxic substances to enter marked storm drains they may be poisoning fish in a nearby stream.

They may also be committing a crime! Under the Fisheries Act it is an offence to dump toxic substances into fishbearing waters.

How Do You Become Involved in the Storm Drain Marking Program?

Contact Enquiry BC for the Storm Drain Marking Community Advisor for your neighbourhood,
1-800-663-7867.

These Common Household Products are Hazardous to Fish:

1. AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS

motor oil
antifreeze
brake fluid
carburetor cleaner
gasoline
gasoline additives
transmission fluid
degreasers
sealers

2. PAINTS AND SOLVENTS

paints
shellacs
lacquers
varnishes
enamels
paint thinners
paint and varnish strippers
rustproof coatings

3. RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS

swimming pool contents (chlorine)
outboard motor products (oil, gas, etc.)

4. PESTICIDES

disinfectants (bathroom, kitchen, etc.)
insecticides (garden products, flea collars, etc.)
fungicides (mold and mildew control)
rodenticides (rat and mouse bait)
molluscicides (slug bait)
wood preservatives (creosote, pentachlorophenol)

5. CLEANING PRODUCTS

detergents
drain and toilet cleaners
rug and upholstery cleaners
leather preservers
dry cleaning agents
car wash detergent
polishing agents (shoe products)

Help Preserve Your Neighbourhood Streams and Their Fish and Wildlife Resources

ENQUIRY BC
Victoria: 250 387-6121
Vancouver: 604 660-2421
Toll Free: 1-800-663-7867
E-mail: EnquiryBC@gems3.gov.bc.ca

The Storm Drain Marking Program

The Storm Drain Marking Program is sponsored by the British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (now called Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection) and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Initial funding for the program was provided by the Habitat Conservation Fund. The Storm Drain Marking Program has two major areas of emphasis:

convey the role that the public can play in maintaining healthy streams in an urban environment;
provide the public, particularly young people, with an opportunity to participate in "hands on" fisheries management in an urban environment.

The Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (now called Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection) has various programs for environmental education. For further information please contact the Public Affairs Bureau.

fish kill phone fish

Originally published in October 1994