Our county's abundant resources needs all of our help and protection to remain clean. Human activities leave behind materials like pesticides, pet waste, trash and even loose soil that can wash into our waters and pollute them. Even where you don't see a stream or lake, streets, roadside ditches and underground storm sewers carry polluted runoff into the closest waterbody. The good news is that together, your positive actions can do much to help protect our essential water supply.
Ways You Can Help To Keep Our Water Clean
1. Return used motor oil for recycling
Never pour oil onto the street or down a storm drain. It'll wash, untreated, into the nearest waterbody. Most New York service stations accept used oil. Some municipalities also collect used oil as part of a community household hazardous waste collection.
2. Use a commercial car wash
Or wash your car on the lawn to keep dirty, soapy water from flowing into storm drains and eventually into your local streams and lakes.
3. Sweep sidewalks and driveways
Don't waste water hosing yard debris off hard surfaces. Not only do you end up wasting cleaned water but it also just washes it into storm drains. Compost yard waste instead.
4. Fight mud
Cover areas of bare soil with mulch, or plant grass or ground covers to keep rain from washing soil into storm drains, ditches, streams and lakes. Fine soil particles, or sediment, can suffocate fish and destroy their habitat.
5. Avoid using lawn fertilizers that contain phosphorus
Test your lawn first to see if it needs phosphorus. Phosphorus that is not needed by turf grass is often carried by rain into nearby waterbodies where it can cause serious environmental problems. The new Dishwasher Detergent and Nutrient Runoff Law severely restricts or prohibits the use of phosphorus-containing lawn fertilizers.
6. Leave an unmowed buffer next to streams and lakes
A buffer strip filters the pollutants carried by storm runoff, stops erosion of banks and helps prevent flooding downstream. A buffer of native plants also benefits wildlife and beautifies your backyard.
7. Flush responsibly
Rather than flushing, dispose of cleansers, beauty products, medicine, auto fluids, paint, and lawn care products at a local household hazardous waste facility. Take pharmaceuticals to special collection locations.
8. Use the trash, not the drain
Dispose of excess fats and grease, diapers and personal hygiene products in the garbage can. These materials can clog pipes and cause raw sewage to overflow.
9. Block the buzz
Prevent mosquitoes from breeding by eliminating standing water in old tires and clogged gutters, or use dunks containing the larvacide Bti (a bacteria that targets mosquitoes). Empty and refill kiddie pools and pet water dishes at least once a week. When sitting outside, place multiple citronella candles close by. Protect infants and toddlers with light-colored, loose-fitting clothing and by draping netting over strollers. In spring, mount bat and purple martin houses to encourage these mosquito-eating machines. (Note: A chemical repellant such as DEET may be necessary where mosquito-borne diseases are likely.)