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

Joanne Smith, who serves as a homeowners association president in Wyndance, asked about stormwater concerns, traffic flow and if there will be sufficient emergency services once the new subdivision is built. —Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026

Additionally, homeowners who take part in the Day of Service can reduce their water bill by earning a stormwater fee credit. —Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026

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

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

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