stormwater

noun

storm·​wa·​ter ˈstȯrm-ˌwȯ-tər How to pronounce stormwater (audio)
-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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Another common problem is blocked sewer grates stopping stormwater from draining away from neighborhoods and roads. Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026 The alternative plan the commission is now considering centers on installing a series of six injection wells in an area that frequently floods that would send stormwater underground instead pumping it out to Biscayne Bay. Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026 In 2025, some Central Florida municipalities increased service fees — such as fire and stormwater fees — in part as an anticipatory measure of losing property tax revenue. Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026 The event had been a long-standing tradition in Hobart until 2020, when COVID-19 concerns caused city officials to cancel it, said Tim Kingsland, the city’s sanitary/stormwater district coordinator. Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stormwater

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stormwater was in 1848

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Cite this Entry

“Stormwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stormwater. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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