Clean Water – Clear Choices

Impact

Cost

Clean water is one of the world’s most important resources. We all can help protect this resource by saving water from becoming polluted and bring nature back into our built environment. It is important that everyone helps protect clean water. Rainwater that falls onto roofs, blacktop roads or driveways cannot soak into the ground. Instead this polluted runoff rushes into storm drains and then directly into local waterways unless it is captured in rain gardens, vegetative swales, underground infiltration systems or other green infrastructure. Traditional stormwater systems of drains and pipes do not clean water before it is sent into our local waterways, polluting our waters. Stormwater pollution from our roads, sidewalks, roofs, parking lots is the leading cause of water pollution today.

Steps to Take

Eliminate or Reduce Fertilizer and Pesticide Use

If fertilizer is necessary, use only phosphorus-free natural fertilizers and apply only in the spring and fall. What we put on our lawns gets into our environment and lawn chemicals are a major source of pollution. Healthy, well-designed landscapes should require little to no fertilizers or pesticides.

Swales and Berms

Planting water-loving species at the bottom of a swale (linear shallow depressions) or using a berm (earthen mounds) to direct, capture and infiltrate water that would otherwise flow off your property.

Rain Gardens

Rain gardens are planting beds constructed in shallow depressions that capture and infiltrate rainwater. Rain gardens can be a very interesting design element in the landscape and are great at helping with stormwater management. Plants in a rain garden should be adaptable and must be capable of dealing with inundation with water and prolonged drought.

Wash Cars at Car Wash

Wash your car at a professional car wash so that the oils, greases and soaps do not wash directly into storm drains and local waterways.

Don’t Dump in Streets and Catch Basins

When it rains or snow melts, water flows across the land surface, picks up anything in its path (trash, oil, fertilizer, animal waste) and brings it right to our local waterbodies without any treatment. Please help keep our communities clean- don’t put anything into streets and catch basins!