Helpful Hints To Keep Our Water Clean
There are a number of things you can do to prevent stormwater pollution. Whether you?re in your home, in your yard, in the garage or in your community. . . be aware of how your actions affect the environment. Pollution prevention is much easier, and less costly, than cleaning up "after the fact," so we?re counting on YOU to do your share to help protect our environment.
Only Rain in the Drain Picture
In Your Home
Hazardous Waste: It?s as close as your kitchen cupboard.
Did you know that many products used around our homes can be hazardous to our health and our environment? While products such as household cleaners, bleach, oven cleaners, spot solvents and toilet bowl cleaners serve useful purposes, you must remember to handle them as household hazardous waste (HHW) when you throw them away. Never throw HHW in the trash, on the ground or into a storm drain.
Take unwanted products to an HHW collection event. Check the HHW Collection Event Schedule for an event in your area. Bringing these items to a collection event is the proper thing to do and it?s FREE!
Try environmentally friendly alternatives to household hazardous waste. Order the Easy Recipes for A Healthy House brochure to learn how to make your own environmentally friendly cleaning products.
Painting Activities: Use the proper cleanup methods.
Even though latex paint is a water based paint, you must clean paint brushes and containers in the sink. Never clean brushes or rinse paint containers into the street, gutter or storm drain. If you use oil-based paints and stains, filter, settle, and reuse the thinners and solvent.
Dispose of unusable paints, thinners, thinner residue, and paint strippers at a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event. Empty, dry paint cans may go in household garbage, or they may be recyclable in your area - check with your local waste hauler.
Housecleaning: Use the proper disposal methods for washwater.
When washing your windows or mopping the floors, send dirty cleaning water down a sink or toilet. Don?t throw washwater into the street, gutter, or storm drain. Also, if you clean your carpets, dispose of dirty washwater down a sink or toilet. If you have your carpets professionally cleaned, make sure the cleaning service either disposes of washwater in the sink or toilet or takes the dirty washwater back to his/her facility for proper discharge into a sewer system.
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In Your Yard
What?s the Scoop on Pet Waste?
Never hose pet waste into to the street or gutter. Pick-up waste and dispose of it in trash can. And, remember to take something to pick-up after your dog when you take it for a walk. You?ll be helping the environment and keeping peace with your neighbors.
Overdose the Environment!
Achieving a healthy garden doesn?t require the use of toxic pesticide and herbicides.
Try non-toxic alternatives for the garden. Try planting plants that deter bad pests and plant other plants that help attract beneficial insects. Chemicals should always be your last choice in the garden. Review the Home Garden Care Guide for various non-toxic alternatives in the garden, or come to a Home Garden Workshop for a live demonstration of how to achieve a healthy chemical-free garden.
Composting - a natural way of recycling organic material
Composting can provide a healthy soil amendment for your yard or garden. Compost provides natural essential nutrients for healthier plants, increases moisture retention and is less expensive then commercial fertilizers and mulches. Learn how to compost from the expert Master Composters. Master Composters show residents just how easy it is to compost. Join the Master Composters at a FREE Composting Workshop. Check the workshop schedule for a workshop in your community.
Properly drain your pool to help protect local waterways
If you need to drain your pool, contact your local sewering agency for drainage requirements. If you have a septic tank system or if your sewering agency has no special requirements for draining the pool, let the pool water dechlorinate (this may take up to two weeks) and then discharge the water into landscaped areas. Avoid allowing any water to flow into the street, gutter or storm drain. You may have to drain the pool over a number of days to allow dirt and landscaped areas to absorb the water.
Septic Systems: Properly maintain them to keep our environment clean.
Septic systems should never be piped into a road ditch, stream, concrete flood channel or storm drains. Avoid washing or flushing grease, alcohol, or strong chemicals into your septic system as these substances kill the bacteria needed to break down wastes.
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In the Garage
Do you know where the nearest Certified Collection Center is?
It?s probably not too far from you. Many auto service/supply stores accept used motor oil and oil filters. Certified collection centers will even give you some spare change for every gallon your bring in. Remember to bring your used motor oil in a clean container. Do not mix with antifreeze or water. Call 1-800-CLEANUP to find the nearest collection center in your area or visit www.1800CLEANUP.org.
Come to the ABOPs!
ABOPs are recycling centers for Antifreeze, Batteries (car and household), motor Oil and oil filters, and latex/water-based Paints. Bringing these items to the ABOP is the proper ways to dispose of these items and it?s FREE! ABOPs are open each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and are closed on holiday weekends. Check for an ABOP in your area.
Use Proper Car Wash Methods
Did you know that water runoff from carwashing activities contains various pollutants? Most detergents contain phosphates that harm aquatic life and dirty soap water usually contains oil, grease and dirt that gets washed off the car and tires. All of these pollutants can harm our environment if the washwater is allowed to flow into the street and gutter. Here?s what you can do: wash cars on the lawn or in an area that will absorb the water runoff. Use biodegradable and phosphate-free detergents. If you must use wheel cleaners, use them sparingly and avoid any runoff. Or, give yourself a break and take the car to a carwash facility. Carwash facilities are constructed to capture water runoff to help protect our environment.
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In Your Community
Illegal Dumping Harms Our Environment!
Report illegal dumping by calling 1.800.506.2555.
Stencil A Drain Campaign
Help remind neighbors and communities to never pour anything down a storm drain. Call 951.683.7691 to volunteer to stencil storm drains with the message - NO DUMPING, ONLY RAIN IN THE DRAIN. Students and boy/girl scouts seeking community hours can participate in this effort.
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