City of Columbus Street Sweeping to Focus on Protecting Waterways from Pollutants with Extra Sweeping of High-Debris Streets

Beginning in April, the City of Columbus will update its annual street sweeping program to ensure an equitable approach to removing debris and pollutants along curbed streets before they reach local waterways and affect water quality.

The update coincides with the city’s renewal of its Municipal Separate Storm System, or MS4, permit required by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The Ohio EPA recognizes street sweeping as a pollution prevention practice to help improve water quality. Sweeping addresses two pollutants of concern, sediment and phosphorous, that affect local watersheds, including the Olentangy River and Big Walnut and Big Darby creeks.

The city’s street sweeping program, managed by the Department of Public Service, is environmentally focused, to prevent pollutants from entering our waterways and to advance sustainability goals. Leaf collection is not part of the street sweeping program. Leaves can be composted or bagged and set out for pickup by the city’s biweekly yard waste collection program.

Using data from the Division of Refuse Collection’s annual Litter Index of all city streets, additional sweeping will occur on residential and arterial streets in high-debris zones to prevent litter and pollutants from entering storm sewers and harming water quality.

Effective in April:

• The city will sweep all curbed streets at least two times during sweeping season from April through October.
• Current signage posted to restrict parking during street sweeping dates/times will be removed in all areas except the University District. It will remain there and be enforced to allow for effective sweeping.
• If needed, temporary signage for street sweeping notification may be installed in other areas where on-street parking demand impacts the ability for optimal sweeping to occur.

The city may continue to refine the street sweeping program as additional data is collected that further identifies areas of high surface pollutants impacting waterways and water quality.

Residents may sign up to receive notification of when their street is scheduled for sweeping at

https://www.columbus.gov/publicservice/streets/Street-Sweeping/.

Park off-street if possible to allow the city’s street sweepers greater curb access for more effective cleaning of debris and pollutants.

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