Inspect & pump your septic system regularly
Annual Inspections and 3-year pump-outs ensure a healthy system
Water the lawn sparingly
Irrigation runoff carries fertilizer, pesticides, dirt and pet waste
Repair bare spots on lawn
Add soil, seed and straw to prevent precious topsoil from running off
Pick up animal waste
The average dog eliminates ½ lb. per day – keep it out of the creeks!
Install a rain barrel on your home
Capture and reuse the free water from the sky (& prevent runoff!)
Spray after rain events & avoid areas close to water
Chemicals run off when applied close to a rain event or water body
Never drain pools into the storm drain system
Chlorine is toxic to aquatic species. Drain to sanitary sewer system
Apply fertilizer at the recommended rate
More than necessary will burn your lawn and run off, anyway
Never dump oil / chemicals down storm drains
Recycle them at your local automotive repair shop instead
Wash cars on grassed areas
The dirty water can then be absorbed and filtered through soil
Grasscycle (leave grass clippings on lawn)
This keeps grass clippings out of streams and helps lawns retain water
What IS Stormwater Runoff?
Stormwater runoff is simply rain that falls to the ground that does NOT infiltrate (absorb) into the soil.
Why Should I Care about Stormwater Pollution?
People like to fish, swim, and recreate around clean bodies of water. We also get our drinking water from utilities that draw from rivers and lakes. The more polluted the water becomes, the more it costs taxpayers to clean it up.
How Does Stormwater Become Polluted?
Stormwater runoff picks up whatever is on the ground (car fluids like oil, gasoline, antifreeze; trash, pet waste, sediment) and carries it to the nearest body of water (creek, river, lake, ocean)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Storm_Drain.JPG
Am I Contributing to Stormwater Pollution?
Property owners of all kinds inadvertently contribute to stormwater pollution, often without even realizing it. Take the Stormwater Pollution Potential Homeowner’s Quiz to see how stormwater savvy you are at home!
What is a Watershed?
A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common body of water, like a river or lake. Everyone lives in a watershed! What watershed do you live in? Find out by clicking the link below, then entering your address in the search box at the top of the page. Your parcel will come up on the map with the name of your watershed in the middle of the page.
