stormwater

noun

storm·​wa·​ter ˈstȯrm-ˌwȯ-tər How to pronounce stormwater (audio)
-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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In particular, the city’s stormwater system is failing as pipes have eroded and caused sinkholes to pop up in some parts of the city. Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2025 In Ozaukee County, damage was reported to municipal stormwater control structures in Port Washington. Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025 Shauna Bell, who lives along Van Buren, said the nearby stormwater drain is constantly clogged from highway debris, which floods her yard. Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2025 Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, San Diego Green Infrastructure Consortium and 4 Walls International were granted $103,000 to create a binational hydrological model of the Tijuana River watershed to improve water quality and stormwater management. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stormwater

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stormwater was in 1848

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Cite this Entry

“Stormwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stormwater. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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