Stormwater management is a combination of engineering, construction, site maintenance and public outreach. Structural controls such as pipes, catchbasins, swales and grit chambers are used to control both the quantity and rate of stormwater runoff and the quality of the water bodies that are discharged to. Non-structural controls such as monitoring and public education are also important, as are related construction policies such as erosion control.

Studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have demonstrated that stormwater runoff is one of the most significant sources of water pollution. Rain or snow melt can pick up pollutants and wash them into the city's collection system, and this polluted stormwater runoff can be discharged into local rivers and streams without treatment. Common pollutants include motor oils, fuels, greases and metals from vehicles; pesticides and lawn fertilizers; construction dust and sediment; and litter such as cigarette butts, paper wrappers and plastic bottles. In combination, these pollutants can clog waterways, degrade animal habitat, contaminate drinking water, increase flooding, cause erosion of streambeds and siltation of waterways, and decrease the amount of water recharged to aquifers. These issues are especially challenging in an urban environment.

The City of Cambridge actively promotes a broad range of Best Management Practices to counter stormwater pollution. Significant investments in catchbasin cleaning, street sweeping, and urban forestry programs are just a few examples.