How Do You IMPACT Water Quality?

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How Do You IMPACT Water Quality?
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What is a watershed?

• A watershed is the land where all the water
  drains to a specific location.
• It includes surface runoff and groundwater flow.

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Water runoff is dramatically increased (without
proper practices).
Development increased impervious cover disrupts
natural water storage.
Graphic from Center for Watershed Protection
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Pollution isnt what it used to be

• Point source
• Single, identifiable source
• industrial
• sewage treatment
• Not the only source that can contaminate your
  water

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The pollution you cant pinpoint

• Comes from an entire watershed
• Geographic, not political, boundaries
• Affected by geology
• Most from land that is
• built on or paved
• farmed
• bare soil

6
Impact of residential land use

• Impervious surfaces
• Streets, driveways and sidewalks
• Roofs, Pools and patios
• Pollution
• Chemicals and thermal pollution from
• impervious surfaces
• Nutrients and chemicals from fertilizers and
  pesticides
• Pathogens from failed septic systems and pets

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Impact of impervious surfaces

• Increases flooding
• Lowers groundwater
• Prevents natural filtering
• Collects pollutants
• Moves pollutants to waterways faster

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Best Management Practices

• Reduce nonpoint source
• pollution from
• your home

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Choose low-impact lawn care for
high-quality water

• Insecticides
• Herbicides
• Fertilizer
• Clippings
• Aerating
• Mower maintenance
• Native landscaping

10
Maintain your car to maintain good water
quality

• A quart of oil can pollute 1,000,000 gallons of
  water
• Antifreeze can be poisonous
• Use the car wash
• Keep your engine clean

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Be careful of the toxic waste in your kitchen
and garage

• Paints and thinners
• Automotive fluids
• Oil
• Pesticides
• Household cleaners
• Bleach

12
Dont pressure wash your driveway

• Pressure washing adds nonpoint source pollution
• Chemicals
• Silt
• Gas and oil
• Use a broom

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Please use water wisely.