Some other things that can be done

NPS Pollution - Reducing Sources

  • Use low-flow faucets, shower heads, reduced-flow toilet flushing equipment and water saving appliances such as dish and clothes washers.
  • Repair leaking faucets, toilets, and pumps.
  • Use dishwashers and clothes washers only when fully loaded.
  • Take short showers instead of baths and avoid letting faucets run unnecessarily.
  • Wash your car only when necessary; use a bucket to save water. Alternatively,go to a commercial carwash that uses water efficiently and disposes of runoff properly.
  • Do not over-water your lawn or garden. Over-watering may increase leaching of fertilizers to ground water. When your lawn or garden needs watering,use slow-watering techniques such as trickle irrigation or soaker hoses. (Such devices reduce runoff and are 20-percent more effective than sprinklers.)
  • Clean up after your pets. Pet waste contains nutrients and pathogens that can contaminate surface water.
  • Drive only when necessary. Driving less reduces the amount of pollution your automobile generates. Automobiles emit tremendous amounts of airbor pollutants, which increase acid rain; they also deposit toxic metals and petroleum byproducts into the environment. Regular tuneups and inspections can help keep automotive waste and byproducts from contaminating runoff. Clean up any spilled automobile fluids.
  • Recycle used oil and antifreeze by taking them to service stations and other recycling centers. Never put used oil or other chemicals down stormdrains or in drainage ditches. (One quart of oil can contaminate up to two million gallons of drinking water!)

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