One way to help stop stormwater pollution from impacting Warwick's waters is to help water soak into the ground so that it does not have a chance to become stormwater in the first place. Rain gardens, like the one shown above, help water from a downspout absorb into the ground in an attractively-planted basin instead of running down the street as stormwater. Rain gardens built to the specifications in RIDEM's Stormwater Management Guidance for Single Family Lot Development will not hold water long enough to encourage mosquito breeding, will beautify your property, and can be designed and installed by either motivated homeowners or a registered landscape architect. Click here to read more rain garden information assembled by the Northern RI Conservation District.

Homeowners who don't have space for a rain garden can also help to slow the flow by using a rain barrel connected to one of their downspouts. Properly designed rain barrels will collect water that can be used for backyard irrigation without creating mosquito habitat. The University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension has assembled more information about rain barrels, including suggested rain barrel vendors.