Summertime means more time spent outdoors. It’s a good time to remember that our outdoor activities can impact the quality of our local water sources.
Drinking water sources for both tap and bottled water include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells. Protecting our water sources ensures both the quality and quantity of water used for drinking.
There are numerous steps we can take each day to reduce our impact on these sources:
- Dispose of hazardous waste properly, not down the drain, onto the ground or into storm sewers (this includes motor oil, pesticides, leftover paint, solvents, gasoline, flammable liquids, mothballs, household cleaners)
- Limit use of pesticides and fertilizers
- Substitute “weed and feed” fertilizers with natural organic, slow-release or composted fertilizers
- Use lawn compost and grass clippings as fertilizer
- Maintain your septic system, including professional inspections and periodic pumping
- Wash your car at a commercial car wash, which is designed to prevent runoff from entering storm sewers
- Sweep rather than hose down your driveway and walkways
- Disconnect drain spouts from the sewer and redirect the flow to an area where it can soak into the soil
- Pick up after pets
Adopting these practices can help ensure safe and affordable access to clean drinking water for generations to come.