In Southeastern Wisconsin, our rivers and Lake Michigan are THE REAL WATER PARK...
What can I do?
THE REAL WATER PARK campaign encourages residents to do their part to reduce pollutants and stormwater runoff. This web site includes simple things anyone can do to help improve water quality. In addition, the REAL WATER PARK Facebook page and Twitter feed provide tips, advice, and insight to help protect the area’s waterways.
The “10 Things You Can Do” really can help with the problem with stormwater. How?
1. THERE’S JUST TOO MUCH OF IT!
The stormwater flowing off our yards, sidewalks, streets, parking lots and roofs is just TOO MUCH water for our storm sewers to carry. Weather patterns have changed since those storm sewers were designed. It’s too expensive to lay hundreds of miles of new storm sewer pipes so we each need to do our part and keep as much storm water out of the system as possible.
BASICALLY, if we do those actions on our properties that store it, spread it, or soak it, we can help with the problem of TOO MUCH STORMWATER.
2. STORMWATER PICKS UP AND CARRIES POLLUTANTS ALONG ITS WAY
If it’s not too heavy, stormwater will carry it away. This includes animal waste laden with bacteria and viruses. (There’s a reason you don’t put poop in your mouth, right? So, why would you let it go into our rivers and then Lake Michigan?)
Fluids and oil in our vehicles leak a bit. And the rain is there to wash it all down to the river. What about those pesticides and fertilizers on your yard? They flow right to the river via the rain to the storm sewer. Where’s that soapy water go after you wash your car? If it goes down the street to the storm sewer, it will create trouble for our waters too. And salt in the winter? Dissolves right into the snow melt and flows into the rivers.
“So what?” you may ask. “Doesn’t the water get treated?” NO! Waste water gets treated, but NOT STORMWATER and that’s the problem. Stormwater flows untreated into our rivers and lakes which is why we need to keep as many pollutants out of the stormwater as possible.
Want to do more than the 10 Things? Join a Watershed Action Team.
Find out what’s going on in your community and participate in local events.
Sweet Water is asking residents to:
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1. SCOOP THE POOP. Clean up pet poop so rainwater doesn’t wash the waste into area waterways. |
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2. DISCONNECT. Direct downspouts into rain barrels, the yard or garden, instead of the sewer or driveway. |
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3. STAY TUNED. Stop oil and other fluids from leaking from your car. |
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4. TAKE A TEST. Test the soil before fertilizing because your lawn may not need extra nutrients. Keeping lawn fertilizer out of waterways is an important step to achieving better water quality. |
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5. GIVE YOUR RAKE A BREAK. Leave grass clippings on the lawn or add them to a compost pile. |
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6. LET IT GO. Mow your lawn less often; set the mower blade to three inches. |
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7. WASH CAREFULLY. Use a carwash or wash your car on the lawn. |
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8. MIND THE TAP. Try to use less water when it rains so the storm sewers are free to handle the rain water. |
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9. GO NATIVE! Plant a rain garden with native plants. |
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10. FIX A LEAK. Check toilets and faucets for leaks, since a leaky toilet can waster 200 gallons of water a day. |
