Every time it rains at your workplace, the water washes over the outside areas, and either soaks into the ground or disappears down the stormwater drains.

These drains generally come out at the local creek or canal, and eventually discharge into a river, harbour or beach.

Unlike sewerage, stormwater isn't treated to remove any pollutants that are in it.

So if it's contaminated with litter, wastes, grease, oil or other chemicals, these will find their way into the natural environment, where they can have a serious effect on the fish, plants and other life forms living in that ecosystem.

That's why it's an offence to allow stormwater to become polluted.

This includes placing substances in a position where they can fall or be blown into a local waterway, gutter or drain.

It also includes allowing silt to wash into the stormwater and send it murky, or 'turbid'.

Simple things you can do

There are many simple things you can do on a day-to-day basis to stop rainwater from becoming polluted as it runs off into the stormwater drains. These include:

• making sure that contaminates aren't allowed to accumulate in areas where they could be washed away by rain, especially near drains
  
  
• keeping driveways and yard areas free of litter
  
  
• providing containers for cigarette butts
  
  
• keeping drains clear, to allow the free flow of water when it rains.