Household Activites

Working toward cleaner waters means we all have to make wise choices about pollution prevention every day. You may be surprised at the many activities can cause water pollution around our homes.

 

Lawn Care
Using too much fertilizer or applying it at the wrong time (like before a rainfall) can cause the chemicals to be washed off your lawn into storm drains and then flow into lakes or streams. Remember, runoff that goes into the storm drain goes directly into our waters.

Just like in your garden, fertilizer in lakes and streams makes plants grow, and this can spur extra algae and aquatic plant growth. Too much algae harms water quality and makes boating, fishing and swimming unpleasant. As algae decay, they use up oxygen in the water that fish and other wildlife need.

 

Pet Waste
Pet waste that is not disposed of properly is one of the many little sources of pollution that can add up to big problems for water quality and may cause human health problems as well. While most people connect animal waste problems to agriculture, studies have shown that pet waste can cause significant water pollution problems. Pet waste contains several types of pollutants that contribute to water quality problems: nutrients, pathogens and a naturally toxic material, ammonia.

After it rains pet waste pollutants may end up in a lake, stream or river by being carried away by stormwater. It then decomposes, using up oxygen and releasing its pollutant load into the waters we cherish. During summer months when the water is warm, the combination of low oxygen levels and ammonia can kill fish and other aquatic organisms. The nutrients cause excessive growth of aquatic weeds and algae. When these conditions make the water murky green and smelly, or when the surface of the water is completely covered with a thick mat of vegetation, the area becomes unattractive or unusable for swimming, boating or fishing. Pathogens, the disease-causing bacteria and viruses associated with animal waste, can also make water unsafe for human use. If pathogens or the indicator bacteria associated with animal waste are found during water testing beaches may be closed to swimming and drinking water supplies may require expensive filtration or disinfection.

 

Hazardous Household Wastes
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average household in America generates 20 pounds of hazardous household wastes annually. The typical home also stores 100 pounds of hazardous wastes.  Household products are potentially hazardous if they pose risks to people, animals or the environment. If not handled and disposed of properly, many of the chemicals that are used in everyday activities (paints, solvents, and cleaners, to name a few) can be poisonous to humans and wildlife when they enter our waters.

 

Washing your Automobile
There’s no problem with washing your car. It’s just how and where you do it. Most soap contains phosphates and other chemicals that harm fish and wildlife. The soap, together with the dirt and oil washed from your car, flows into nearby storm drains which run directly into streams, rivers or lakes. The phosphates from the soap can cause excess algae to grow. Algae looks bad, smells bad, and harms water quality. As algae decays, the process uses up oxygen in the water that fish need. 

 

Automobiles
Oil, gasoline, brake fluid, degreasers, and antifreeze are a few of the products automobiles need to run properly. All of these products contain chemicals that can harm aquatic life. Oil that leaks from our cars onto roads and driveways is washed into storm drains, and then flows directly to a lake or stream.  One gallon of used oil can ruin a million gallons of fresh water—a year’s supply for 50 people. Some automotive chemicals are acutely toxic and can cause immediate harm or death to insects, fish, and animals within 96 hours or less (e.g., antifreeze, which is toxic to humans and animals).

 

Septic Systems
A septic system is designed to collect, treat and dispose of wastewater on site so that it can percolate into the ground without clogging the soil or contaminating ground or surface waters. When properly sited, designed, installed and maintained, a septic system can be a cost-effective method of wastewater treatment. However, since wastewater disposal is something most of us don’t spend much time thinking about, many systems are out of date, not functioning properly, or clearly failing. Effluent from poorly maintained or failing septic systems can rise to the surface and contaminate stormwater. Septic systems can be important sources of pathogens and nutrients, especially nitrogen, that are not effectively removed from the waste stream.  When nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are discharged from septic systems into the groundwater, they can contaminate drinking water supplies, and also represent a potentially important non-point source of pollution to streams, rivers, and lakes. Phosphorus causes excessive aquatic weed growth that can limit the uses of ponds and lakes. In out lakes, excess nitrogen fuels massive algal blooms, which in turn die, using up oxygen as they decompose. The improper use of septic systems has been shown to contribute to contamination of groundwater by toxic chemicals. Contaminants that may enter groundwater through septic systems include heavy metals and toxic chemicals from small commercial establishments, toxic household products, and organic chemicals typically found in septic tank cleaning products.

 

Illicit Sanitary Connections to Storm Sewers From Homes
Illicit connections from toilets to storm sewer pipes can add pathogens to stormwater. Pathogens are viruses, bacteria, and protozoa harmful to human health. Coliform bacteria, which come from human waste, is commonly used as an indicator that harmful pathogens may be present in the water. Studies have found high levels of coliform bacterial in stormwater. Illicit sanitary connections can also add nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus to stormwater. Human waste also contributes to biological oxygen demand. Leaking sanitary sewer lines located near storm sewer lines can pose the same problems as illicit connections.