CLEAN WATER STARTS WITH YOU!
Keeping our waters clean (or cleaning them up) is everyone's responsibility (brochure from North Carolina). It’s kind of like recycling: If just one person does it, no big deal, but if everyone does it, it makes a big difference!

Some of the ways you can help keep our water clean:

1. Slow the flow – help water soak into the ground
   • Plant a vegetative buffer
   • Create a rain garden
2. Minimize your use of pesticides and fertilizers
3. Pump out your septic system regularly
4. Pick up after your pets
5. Dispose of household chemicals and prescriptions appropriately – don’t flush them down the drain
6. Check for and fix leaks from your car or truck

Collectively called Best Management Practices (BMPs), these are simple, effective, practical means of minimizing pollution and reducing your impact to lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams, and ultimately, Long Island Sound. To learn more about what you can do around your home and yard to help keep water clean, click on the subject you want to learn more about from the list below. We have provided a general summary related to each area and link you to additional resources with more in-depth information on the subject and tips on implementing BMPs around your home, yard, and neighborhood.

REMEMBER - "If it's on the ground, it's in your water."
(link to Kentucky's Commonwealth Water Education Project)

LANDSCAPING FOR CLEAN WATER
The general condition of the landscape plays a key role in the cleanliness and availability of our waters. Home and commercial landscapes have the potential to be sources of non-point source pollution, or of an increased amount of stormwater runoff, depending on the practices of the landowner. Here, we offer some general resources on the connection between landscaping practices and water quality, and more specific information on vegetative buffers, rain gardens, native plants, lawns, fertilizers, and pesticides to help you reduce the amount of runoff and pollutants coming from your property.

General Landscaping Resources
The following are all resources from the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension.

• Sustainable Landscaping for Water Quality - fact sheet
• Water Quality and the Home Landscape - includes resources on rain gardens, buffers, native plants, septic maintenance, wells, rain barrels, lawn care, water conservation, and more.
• Home and Garden Education Center - includes extensive resources on controlling pests and weeds, testing your soil, fertilizer use, plant lists, deterring deer, and addressing plant disease

Vegetated Buffers or Riparian Buffers
Vegetated buffers are areas of either natural or established vegetation that are maintained to protect the water quality of neighboring areas. Buffer zones reduce the velocity of storm water runoff, provide an area for the runoff to permeate the soil, contribute to groundwater recharge, and act as filters to catch sediment. The reduction in velocity also helps to prevent soil erosion. Riparian buffer zones remove non-point source pollution from adjacent land-use practices, such as agriculture and construction, and also provide essential wildlife corridors for birds and other wildlife. Maintaining a vegetated buffer around rivers, stream courses, and wetlands on your property is one simple way you can help protect the water quality in the Pomperaug River and its tributaries.

• Riparian Buffers for the CT River Valley – featuring a series of fact sheets from the Connecticut River Watershed on buffer basics, buffer specifics related to location, buffer benefits, planting buffers, and native plants.
• Protecting your water’s edge – brochure from Housatonic Valley Association

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Native Plants
Use native vegetation and groundcovers for landscaping your property, instead of non-native ornamental trees, shrubs, and turf grass. These natives are well adapted to the local environment, are often attractive flowering plants, and will minimize the costs and environmental impact of maintaining your property. Many of the invasive, non-native plants that are spreading through our urban woodlands and forests were once sold as ornamentals (e.g. Purple Loosestrife, Autumn Olive, and Oriental Bittersweet).

• Gardening with Native Plants and Native Plants for the Landscape – plant lists available from the Connecticut Botanical Society’s website
• Connecticut Native Tree and Shrub Availability List – printable booklet of native plants from CT Department of Evironmental Protection

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Turf Lawns
Reducing or minimizing the amount of turf lawn on your property will greatly reduce the potential for stormwater runoff and non-point source pollution reaching local water supplies. Maintaining turf lawns is labor and energy intensive, and replaces native trees and shrubs with low-quality habitat for wildlife. For more information on the link between water and lawns, organic lawn care, and ways to reduce the size of your lawn, visit the following websites:

• Smaller American Lawns Today (SALT) - program of the Connecticut College Arboretum
• Organic Land Care Program - program of the Northeast Organic Farming Association
• The Homeowner’s Lawn Care and Water Quality Almanac - printable booklet from Cornell University
• Green Lawns, Clean Lakes – The connection between lawn care and water quality - an initative of the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
• Healthy Lawn Tips from “Lawn to Lake” - an initiative of the Lake Champlain Basin Program, VT
• Healthy Lawn Care Tips 2009 - printable tips from Rouge River and Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority , MI
• What your weeds say about your lawn - brochure from Farmington River Watershed Association, CT
• Safe Lawns, Safe Landscapes – Commercial organic lawn care program (available in CT)
• Organic Lawns for America - Commercial organic lawn care program (available in CT)

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Fertilizers & Soil Testing
Overfertilizing your lawn and garden can result in an excess of phosphorus and other nutrients that can cause algal blooms and contaminate ground water.  When using fertilizer, read and follow the directions on the label, applying only the amount recommended.  Similarly, find out what nutrients your soil lacks by getting your soil tested, and then only apply what your lawn and garden really needs. Try using organic mulch or compost as an alternative to fertilizer.

• Get your soil tested – link to University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension Soil Testing Laboratory
• How much fertilizer do you need for the size of your lawn/garden? - check out the Fertilization Calculator from the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension
• Fertilizer Management – from Utah State University Cooperative Extension’s Water Quality program

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Pesticides & Pest Management
Pesticides are toxic chemicals used to kill unwanted bugs, weeds, and fungi. Like fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are often applied to lawns and gardens to help the growth of desired plants by discouraging other plants (weeds) and pesky insects. As with fertilizers, over-application of pesticides may result in an excess being washed off the desired area. Pesticides can be toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms and also have the potential to contaminate groundwater. For more information pesticides and alternatives, check out these resources:

• Pest Management – Fact Sheet in the series “Sound Gardening – Gardening with an Eye on Water Quality” from the Long Island Sound Study
• De-grub your lawn organically – brochure from Farmington River Watershed Association, CT
• Beyond Pesticides – National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides
  • Environmental Effects of Commonly- Used Lawn Pesticides
• CT Integrated Pest Management Program - University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension program

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Rain Gardens
According to our friends at Earth Tones Native Plant Nursery: “Rain gardens are a simple and effective way to decrease or in some cases eliminate the harm done by runoff caused by rain coming off the roof of a building or by poor drainage situations. A slight depression is made in the soil to capture the waters coming out of gutter drains or water rushing off an impermeable, paved surface. . . . Water in this rain garden is not intended to remain.  It should seep into the soil. . . . The purpose of the garden is to allow water to infiltrate - not pond. . . . By creating a rain garden you will lessen or even eliminate the harmful effects of runoff, you will allow for a positive way of water infiltration, you will help with reduction of pollutants in the ground water, add color to the landscape and provide for wildlife.” For more information on rain gardens, contact Earth Tones or refer to:

• Rainfall as a Resource – A resident’s guide to Rain Gardens in CT - brochure from CT DEP
• Rain Gardens – A design guide for homeowners in Connecticut - printable booklet from University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension

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SEPTIC SYSTEMS
According to the Connecticut Department of Health, there are approximately 300,000 on-site septic systems in the State of Connecticut, with an estimated 15,000 of those systems needing repair each year. You should have your septic system inspected every few years by a licensed septic contractor to insure proper functioning. Failing septic systems are a significant source of nutrients and bacteria into lakes, rivers and streams. For more information, refer to:

• What’s in your backyard? - A brochure on septic systems from the PRWC and the Atlantic States Rural Water & Waste Water Association
• Caring for your septic system – from Clean Waters, a collaboration between CT Sea Grant and U-Conn
• Sewage – Failing Septic Systems and Straight (Sewage) Pipes – from the Commonwealth Water Education Project (KY)

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LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT
Low impact development (LID) refers to a construction approach that minimizes the area of impervious surfaces on the completed project site. Hard, impenetrable areas like parking lots and roofs prohibit water from soaking into the ground and increase the amount of runoff from a site. LID maximizes ways to let water soak into the ground or to store water onsite. For more information, refer to:

• Rainfall as a Resource – A resident’s guide to Low Impact Development in CT - brochure from CT DEP

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PHARMACUETICAL DISPOSAL
According to the CTDEP, getting rid of medications using the toilet or sink does prevent someone from accidentally taking them, but “disposing of them in this way causes water pollution and has adverse effects on septic systems, sewage treatment plants, fish and other aquatic wildlife. Trace amounts of all kinds of drugs have also been found in some drinking water supplies because they pass through septic systems and sewage plants untreated.” To learn more about disposing or your unwanted or leftover medications, visit:

• Disposing of prescription medications and over the counter products
• Pharmaceutical Collection Events

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HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE
According to the CTDEP: “Virtually all households have some household hazardous waste (HHW). HHW is generally defined as a household waste that is toxic, flammable, reactive or corrosive. Common HHW includes oil-based paints, thinners, pool chemicals, pesticides, mercury fever thermometers, and gasoline.” All of these materials have the potential to contaminate rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and groundwater if disposed of inappropriately or stored in such a way that they can easily be spilled. Household hazardous waste collection programs provide an opportunity to manage these wastes in an environmentally safe manner.

• CT DEP's Household Hazardous Waste Program

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PET and ANIMAL WASTE
In an urban/peri-urban environment, pet waste and waste from other domesticated animals, other than livestock, are potential sources of nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) and bacteria (E. coli or fecal coliform). The number of pets and the behavior of pet owners play a role in the threat from pet waste. Among popular pet walking or play areas, scooping and properly disposing of pet waste into the trash or flushing it down the toilet will decrease the threat of pet waste problems. For more information on pet and animal waste, visit:

• Animal waste – from the Commonwealth Water Education Project (KY)

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CAR CARE
Washing your car on pavement creates runoff - water that cannot soak into the ground. The dirty water coming off your car may contain sediment, metal (rust) flakes, oil, gas, antifreeze, or other fluids from the car. The runoff can also pick up fluids leaked onto the pavement and wash them into our waters.

http://www.carlsbadca.gov/stormwater/resstormpdf/carwash.pdf

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The development of this page was funded in part by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
through a United States Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Grant
in conjunction with Rivers Alliance of Connecticut Small Grant Program.