In Your Home

There are simple actions people can do at home to help prevent storm water pollution.

A well kept lawn

Harsh chemical from fertilizers and pesticides can wash off lawn during rainstorms and enter local waterways. Always test your soil to ensure you aren't using too much phosphorus and nitrogen and avoid chemical pesticides when possible.

Scoop the poop

Pet waste is a major contributor to bacterial pollution in storm water runoff. Scoop your pets poop dispose of it properly, preferably in the toilet or buried in the back yard. You also seal the waste in a plastic bag and through it in the garbage.

Properly maintain vehicles and motorized equipment

A tuned up engine will leak less engine fluids on the ground. Recycle used motor oil and dispose of filters and antifreeze properly. Never pour anything but clear water down a storm drain! One pint of oil can make an oil slick the size of an acre. Wash your car at a carwash, if you wash it at home use phosphate free soap and park the car on grass, not pavement.

Route roof gutters away from pavement

Consider the unnecessary contributions to storm water overflow when all the neighborhood rooftops empty onto driveways, curbside gutters and down storm drains to nearby rivers and streams. Downspouts should be diverted away from the pavement and into the lawn, yard or garden. Extend the downspout, if necessary, to keep water away from the foundation. Consider a Rain Garden (see "Adding a Rain Garden to Your Landscape: Landscapes for Maine," Bulletin #2702, for complete instructions).