stormwater

noun

storm·​wa·​ter ˈstȯrm-ˌwȯ-tər 

-ˌwä-

: rainwater produced by a storm

a stormwater management system

As stormwater runs over lawns, streets and other man-made surfaces, it picks up pollutants—phosphorous and nitrogen from fertilizers, bacteria from pet waste and road salt, to name a few—and carries them into local streams and lakes.

—Delen Goldberg

This rainfall "of biblical proportions," as the local newspaper described it, swamped the city in waist-high stormwater.

—Christopher Cooper and Robert Block

Examples of stormwater in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Beyond the materials used, 100 percent of stormwater is captured and stored in a retention pond, which can be used as a backup water source when fighting fires. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2026

County officials say the ice rink facilities would have 100% use of electricity, which eliminates fossil fuel use, stormwater management, a solar-ready roof, and shading. —Adam Thompson, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026

And Publication Printers says the parcel, which is under an acre, is too small for the kind of stormwater drainage system that QuikTrip plans to install. —Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2026

To address water issues, the project will include the development of a new stormwater drainage system. —Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stormwater

• backwater
• bathwater
• blackwater
• breakwater
• deepwater
• edgewater
• feedwater
• floodwater
• freshwater
• granddaughter
• groundwater
• headwater