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Pennsylvania NPS Education Office
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Tackling Nonpoint Source Pollution In Pennsylvania
Good Neighbors
Clean water is important to everyone. We drink it, wash with it, play
in it, and run our industries with it. Although America's waterways
are healthier than they were thirty years ago, battling water pollution
can be quite a challenge.
Point source pollutants are those where the "point"
of the pollution can be easily detected, such as illegal discharges
from industries and wastewater treatment plants. These were once the
main culprits in polluting our waterways and The Clean Water Act of
1972 focused on this type of pollution by regulating outputs.
Today, most water pollutants come from sources which cannot be easily
pinpointed. Our nation's waters are under siege by a subtle, yet dangerous
threat known as Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution. NPS pollution
is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground.
As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and manmade
pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal
waters, and even our underground sources of drinking water.
Where does NPS Pollution Come From?
NPS pollution is present in the runoff from cities, suburbs, and farms.
It is created by agriculture, construction, forestry, and mining activities,
to name a few. NPS pollutants move through the air, across the land,
and through the soil, making their way to surface and ground waters.
In Pennsylvania, about 95 percent of all water pollution comes from
NPS pollutants. Nonpoint source pollution is a threat to our environment,
our economy, and our health.
How Does NPS Affect Our Waterways?
Nonpoint source pollution can seriously affect water quality. Sediments,
nutrients, pesticides, debris, pathogens, oil and toxic chemicals enter
local waterways, travel downstream into our larger rivers, and even
into areas such as the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, the Great Lakes
and the Mississippi Gulf. These pollutants cloud the water, reduce the
water's vital oxygen supply, and disrupt stream habitat, affecting thousands
of plants and animals as well as humans who rely on our waters.
Some Sources of NPS Pollution
Resource Extraction
Acid drainage from abandoned mines and mine waste piles causes more
streams and rivers to be polluted in Pennsylvania than any other type
of pollution. Improperly sealed oil and gas wells and leaking underground
tanks used to store petroleum products can contaminate surface and groundwater.
Agriculture
NPS pollution comes from agricultural activities in the form of sediment,
pesticide, and nutrient pollution. Overgrazing and certain cultivation
practices can increase soil erosion and runoff. Sediment particles and
runoff can carry excess pesticides, fertilizers, and animal manure into
waterways. In addition to runoff, excess nitrogen makes its way to our
streams through groundwater.
Construction
Large-scale earth disturbance activities such as land development, forestry,
mining, and highway construction can produce sediment levels 10 to 20
times greater than those created by farming. Erosion and sedimentation
control measures, such as the proper use of silt fencing, should be
taken prior to beginning evacuation and construction.
Air Pollution (Atmospheric Deposition)
Airborne nitrogen causes acid rain and excess enrichment of waterways.
It is created by our cars, power plants, and industries. Acid rain alters
the pH levels of streams making them unsuitable for some forms of aquatic
life, it also eats away at buildings and other structures causing costly
repair bills. In the Chesapeake Bay, evidence suggests about 27 percent
of nitrogen pollution comes from airborne pollutants.
Mercury, from power plant emissions, is carried by the air currents
and deposited on the land, streams and lakes and is the greatest cause
of impairment to Pennsylvania lakes. Atmospheric deposition has been
found to contribute up to 80 percent of the mercury found in the Delaware
Bay. This metal is of great concern as it causes birth defects and other
serious health problems and stays in the environment forever.
Waste Disposal
Improper disposal of chemicals, oil and other waste leads to NPS pollution.
Some people believe storm drains will carry waste to sewage treatment
facilities for cleanup, but most often these empty into local waterways.
This misconception results in tons of pollutants being dumped "down
the drain" each year. Stormwater discharges, malfunctioning sewage
plants and private septic systems also contribute to nonpoint source
pollution.
What is Pennsylvania Doing about NPS?
Section 319 of the Clean Water Act created a federal program that provides
money to states for the development and implementation of programs aimed
at reducing pollution from nonpoint sources of pollution. The Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) identifies waters that
are impaired or threatened by nonpoint sources of pollution, develops
short- and long-term goals for cleaning them up, and identifies the
best management practices (BMP) that will be used.
DEP's Bureau of Watershed Management administers grants and other activities
that focus on reducing NPS pollution in Pennsylvania. The DEP
Chesapeake Bay Program provides funding for the installation of
best management practices, educational activities and demonstration
projects.
Conservation districts play a major role in working with farmers, contractors,
watershed associations and homeowners to reduce NPS pollution. With
funding provided by the EPA Section 319 Program, the Pennsylvania Association
of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD) hosts a statewide NPS Education
Office.
Be a Good Neighbor
Individuals who do not live next to a stream may find it difficult to
understand how their actions can impact water quality. No matter how
distant you are from a waterway, through creeks, rivers, and underground
springs we are all connected because We All Live Downstream.
When you get involved in protecting local water quality you can take
pride in knowing your efforts will extend beyond the boundaries of your
backyard and help improve the quality of life in neighborhoods located
further downstream.
Nonpoint source pollution is a collective problem - directly or indirectly
it is the result of many individual actions. How can you be a Good
Neighbor and help to control nonpoint source pollution?
What Farmers Can Do
- Team up with your local conservation
district. Learn how you can get the maximum value out of animal
manure. A nutrient management plan may help you save money and at
the same time, protect water quality.
- Explore using Integrated Pest Management, a program designated to
help reduce pesticide pollution. Contact your local Cooperative
Extension Office.
- Incorporate "Best Management Practices" into your farming
operation. They can help optimize your harvests and reduce soil erosion.
You may be eligible to receive cost-share assistance for implementing
these approved practices. Contact your conservation district for more
information.
What Developers and Industry Can Do
- Control runoff from construction sites. Familiarize yourself with
Pennsylvania's Erosion and Sediment Control regulations and seek assistance
from your county conservation district office. Minimize disturbances
to trees and vegetation. Follow storm water management guidelines
when designing and installing drainage systems.
- Practice good industrial housekeeping. Control toxins from industrial
sites by developing and following a pollution prevention plan. Make
sure you have the right permits for all operations, including manufacture,
storage, disposal, and cleanup. Contact the nearest Department of
Environmental Protection District Office for more information and
assistance.
What Everyone Can Do
- Plant trees, shrubs, and groundcovers to prevent soil erosion on
your property. Report sediment and erosion control problems to your
county conservation district.
- Help reduce runoff by using building materials such as brick, flagstone,
or wood for walkways and patios. Divert runoff from your roof to a
well-vegetated area rather than the pavement.
- Call your local Cooperative
Extension office for help with soil testing to determine the right
amount and type of fertilizer to use on your lawn and garden. Mow
your grass to a height of three inches or more to encourage a good
root system and shade out weeds.
- Dispose of used motor oil, antifreeze, paints, and other hazardous
materials properly. Never dump substances down a storm drain, into
the soil, or into a waterway! The PA DEP provides information where
on where you can
recycle your oil.
- Reduce emissions by using public transportation or carpooling. Ride
your bike. Drive a hybrid vehicle.
- Save energy by turning off lights, lowering thermostats, and insulating
hot water pipes in your home.
- Save water by installing low-flow shower heads and toilets.
- Support your local government's role in controlling nonpoint source
pollution. Attend planning meetings and hearings, promote activities
such as city tree plantings, or help establish a community environmental
advisory council.
- Encourage your school board to promote educational pollution prevention
programs.
- Join a citizen stream cleanup, watershed association, or water quality
monitoring effort.
Produced by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts,
Inc. with financial support provided by the Pennsylvania Chesapeake
Bay Program and the Environmental Protection Agency Section 319 Program.
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