NPS Press Releases

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News Release

Date:
Contact:
For Immediate Release

Pollution Solutions In and Around the House

When it comes to having healthy water, the adage "What you don't know, can't hurt you," is wrong. Water pollution from hard to pinpoint sources - like rain water runoff carrying excess nutrients from lawn fertilizers or animal wastes - is one of the nation's (Districts could substitute something local here if it is true - "one of our community's" or "one of our county's") leading causes of poor water quality. Yet, most people don't realize this.

"This type of pollution is called 'nonpoint source' or NPS pollution," explains __________, manager of the ________ County Conservation District, "and it is widespread because it can occur from every day activities that disturb the land or water."

Each September, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sponsors NPS Awareness Week, to increase people's understanding of the problem and how to prevent it. Helping to prevent water pollution is easier than you think. Simply adjusting how you do things around the home can improve water quality and may even save you money!

Consider the following tips.

• Limit paved surfaces in your landscape. Use permeable surfaces like wood decks, bricks, and concrete lattice to let water soak into the ground. Gravel trenches along driveways or patios collect water and allow it to filter into the ground.
• Don't hose down driveways or sidewalks. Sweep them and dispose of debris properly.
• Direct gutters and spouts to drain onto vegetated or gravel-filled areas, not paved surfaces, so stormwater can seep slowly into the ground. Splash blocks also help reduce erosion.
• Use a rain barrel. Rain barrels are containers placed at the bottom of downspouts to collect roof runoff. This helps to prevent erosion and excessive runoff during a rain and the collected water can be used later for lawn and garden watering.
  
• Properly dispose of hazardous household waste. Many common products, such as paint thinners and oven cleaners, contain toxic ingredients. Don't pour them down the drain or toilet and don't discard them with regular household trash. Contact your local solid waste management office for information on waste collection. And, learn about natural or less toxic alternatives and use them.
• Recycle used motor oil by taking it to a service station or local recycling center. If you don't know of one nearby, call the Pennsylvania Recycling Hotline, at 1-800-346-4242.
• Properly clean up spilled brake fluid, oil, grease and antifreeze. Don't hose them into the street.
• Wash your car on the grass so soapy water soaks into the ground. Or, go to a commercial car wash that uses water efficiently and disposes of runoff properly.
• Pick up pet waste and dispose of it in the garbage or toilet. Animal wastes contain harmful bacteria and viruses.
• Keep your septic system clean and well maintained.
• Don't dump anything in storm drains. Also keep drains and street gutters free of debris.
• Use sand, rather than salt, to keep icy walks and driveways safe in winter.
• Use detergents that are low in phosphorous.
• Before draining your pool, let the water sit for a few days without chlorine first. This can prevent local chlorine contamination of surface waters.

Many resources are available for guidance on these activities. Start by contacting your county conservation district at __________ (give as much contact information as possible) or the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) at www.pacd.org.

(Information for this article was provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc., the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and Lancaster County Conservation District.)