Riders can join BART in preventing storm water pollution
For more information about BART's efforts to prevent storm water pollution, click here.
People who choose BART instead of driving are helping keep our waterways clean.
Cars are among the main sources of water pollution in the Bay Area. That’s because leaking fluids like oil and particles from exhaust and other contaminants end up on our roads and then are washed untreated into storm drains that lead directly into our waterways. Birds, fish, and other animals are then exposed to the pollutants.
Keeping cars off the road and our waterways cleaner is one more environmental benefit BART offers to riders and the Bay Area. But that doesn’t mean BART is immune to storm drain run off. BART also has storm drains.
BART riders can help keep Bay Area creeks, wetlands and the bay clean and free of debris by properly disposing of trash at BART and ensuring cars parked in our lots are not leaking.
Trash dropped on the ground gets blown by the wind or carried by storm water into storm drain inlets. This trash can then get carried out to the Bay or result in blockages of the storm drain system, resulting in flooding.
What Riders Can Do
Put litter in its place: Dispose of trash into garbage and recycling receptacles provided by BART in our stations and parking lots. Please clean up after pet waste as well.
Use reusables: You can prevent litter by using reusable containers like travel mugs.
Car maintenance: You may not be polluting but your car may be. If you drive to BART, please ensure your car isn’t leaking. Regular tune ups and leak inspections can prevent leaks or fix them if you have one.
Car wash: The grime on your car that includes residue from gasoline, motor oil, and other chemicals can get washed off during a rain storm if your car is parked in one of our outdoor lots. Help prevent this runoff by taking your car to a commercial or coin operated self-service car wash where all wash water is recycled and properly disposed of.
What BART is Doing
BART will implement a storm drain stencil program to make sure the public is aware that what goes down that drain flows to the bay.
BART has developed a poster for in our trains to encourage riders to prevent storm water pollution. (Image below)
BART uses drought resistant plants and efficient irrigation systems in our landscaping to preserve water and minimize run-off.
BART cleans parking lots and plazas at least weekly to remove trash and pollutants.
BART recycles the water used to wash train cars.
At several locations, BART uses biofiltration to remove pollutants from our parking facilities.
BART is moving towards low-impact development (LID) as a standard practice, which is an approach to land development that works with nature to manage stormwater as close to the source as possible. BART has implemented or has plans for stormwater features based on LID principles at numerous facilities including the Richmond Intermodal (under construction), Warm Springs Station (under construction), Berkeley Plaza (planned), and the Lafayette Intermodal (planned).
We all play a role in keeping our waterways clean, safe and healthy.
