Environmental Protection

Breathing clean air is necessary fora healthy life. In order to protect human health, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes air quality standards that states and municipalities, like the city of Glendale, must meet. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and the Maricopa County Air Quality (MCAQ) Department also regulate air quality in the state and city.

City of Glendale Dust Ordinance

State law requires Maricopa County and the city of Glendale, along with other cities and towns, to adopt and enforce dust control requirements to help make the air cleaner for our community. The county regulations and Glendale city ordinance outline the dust control responsibilities that fall to both commercial and residential property owners. For more information on the city's requirements or for enforcement, call the city of Glendale Code Compliance Department at (623) 930-3610.

Learn More

City of Glendale Dust Control Requirements(PDF, 2MB)

cleanairmakemore.com

It’s summertime, and you know what that means—it’s time to prepare for monsoons and what they bring with them: mosquitoes. Maricopa County has prepared a guide to help you better prepare for and prevent mosquito bites.

Access the Maricopa County Mosquito Toolkit. While on this page, scroll down and click on the Communities or Municipalities tab to find educational materials that can be printed and shared with others. The Media tab includes articles and videos to help you learn more about mosquito prevention.

To learn more about mosquitoes in your community, view the Maricopa County Mosquito guide for communities.

The city of Glendale is considered a Phase I Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). This means that the storm drain system is separate from the sanitary sewer system. Stormwater that does not soak into the ground or evaporate gets discharged into Skunk Creek, New River or the Agua Fria River. Unlike water and wastes conveyed in the sanitary sewers, stormwater is untreated before being discharged.

Glendale maintains a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP)(PDF, 7MB) that is designed to reduce pollutant discharges to and from the city's municipal storm sewer system. The program includes the following:

• Current MS4 Permit(PDF, 646KB) from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
• Stormwater Enforcement Response Plan(PDF, 679KB)
• Most recent Stormwater Annual Report(PDF, 75KB)

To provide comments or questions on the city's Stormwater Management Program:

• Submit an email to SWMP@glendaleaz.com
• Complete a survey

What happens in the watershed stays in the watershed! As rain falls on the ground, it picks up fertilizers, pesticides, pet waste, oil and other chemicals. This contaminated stormwater eventually travels into our washes and waterways.

Report Illegal Discharges

Learn More

Residential

• Prevent Stormwater Pollution around Your Home(PDF, 891KB)
• Pick Up Pet Waste(PDF, 487KB)
• Proper Ways to Drain or Backwash Your Pool, Spa, or Fountain(PDF, 2MB)
• Maintain Stormwater Structures (Check, Clean, & Maintain)(PDF, 3MB)
• Stormwater Best Management Practices for HOAs(PDF, 2MB)

Businesses

• Stormwater Fact Sheets for Businesses(PDF, 538KB)
• Stormwater Best Management Practices for Gas Stations(PDF, 408KB)
• Maintain Stormwater Structures (Do, Plan, & Check)(PDF, 26MB)

Construction

• Low Impact Development Toolkit(PDF, 9MB)
• Prevent Stormwater Pollution at Construction Sites (Brochure)(, 0B)
• Prevent Stormwater Pollution at Construction Sites (Poster)(PDF, 6MB)

Stormwater Outreach for Regional Municipalities (STORM) is a regional non-profit organization promoting stormwater quality education within the Phoenix metropolitan area. STORM was funded in response to federal regulations requiring municipalities to educate the public on ways to protect the quality of stormwater runoff.

Fats, Oils, and Grease

Rethink what goes down the sink! Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) poured down your kitchen drain can solidify in your pipes and cause sewage to back up into your house.

Help prevent sewage blockages by:

• Pouring used grease into a sealable container and disposing in the trash.
• Scraping food from dishes and cookware into the trash before washing.
• Putting a strainer over the drain to catch food scraps and disposing of them in the trash.

Learn More

• How to Prevent Sanitary Sewer Clogs(PDF, 1MB)

Disposal of Unused Medication and Personal Care Products

Don't rush to flush! The once common practice of discarding of unwanted medications down the toilet or sink is no longer acceptable because many medications cannot be broken down at a water reclamation facility. There are several alternatives:

• Option 1 - Keep unused medication in its container and place it into a MedReturn Box at the following Glendale Police stations: Foothills (6255 W. Union Hills Dr.) and Gateway (6261 N. 83rd Ave.).
• Option 2 - Put your unused medication into a sealable bag or container and mix with an undesirable substance (kitty litter or used coffee grounds). Dispose of in the trash.
• Option 3 - Contact your local pharmacy to see if they collect unused medication.

Learn More

• Proper Ways to Dispose of Medication and Personal Care Products(PDF, 875KB)