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

Higher fees The city also approved changes to several fees, including stormwater fees, water and wastewater charges, solid waste charges and an environmental fee. — Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2026

The bypass work falls outside the scope of Enbridge’s existing construction site stormwater permit. — Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 10 Sep. 2026

The 50-ton boulder was found about 30 feet below the surface of the airfield at O'Hare during excavation of the South Detention Basin, a stormwater management facility. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026

Additionally, plans are in the works to reserve space at a vacant lot at Fifth and A streets for a dog park once stormwater and flooding issues have been resolved, Wolski said. — Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 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