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

The plan, supported by environmental groups, would re-engineer local water systems to prevent stormwater and wastewater from something the current system allows. — Joe Brandt, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

Developers are required to meet all technical requirements and local regulations, including setbacks, building codes, environmental impacts and stormwater management reviews. — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026

Some homes near the lakes have systems that release treated effluent directly into the lakes or stormwater sewers, according to Mazzeffi, since the properties are too small for septic fields. — Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026

Authorities in Flagstaff, Arizona, believe flooding is responsible two deaths, including a man consumed by floodwaters Sunday and another found unresponsive in a stormwater drainage system Monday, according to police statements. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 2 Nov. 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