You may not think about it, but your everyday actions can affect the groundwater that is found outside of your home. Using cleaning products and washing them down your drain, walking your dog outdoors in the rain, and driving are all things that can impact the pollution of the waterways.
It can seem like it may be very difficult to get clean water, especially with groundwater contamination, but there are a few things you can do to help keep the water clear. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Don’t Treat Your Toilet Like a Trash Can
Ladies, you see the signs in every single restaurant restroom stall saying “don’t flush feminne products down the toilet.” Well, those aren’t there to just keep up with the standard restaurant decor pattern. By flushing nondegradable products down the toilet, you’re messing up the sewage treatment process. The trash you threw into the toilet will then end up places like beaches, and that’s just gross.
Pick Up After Your Pet
Naturally, you take your dog, or even your cat, outside multiple times a day so they can relieve themselves. But don’t leave their feces on the ground. Their waste can end up not only on someone’s shoe but also down a storm drain and other water supplies. Take a plastic baggie and, as gross as it is, picks up your pet’s poop. That way any bacteria and other gross things will stay out of the groundwater.
Examine the Outdoor Surfaces
Since stormwater runs along sidewalks, driveways, and roads, it’s important to note that anything that is on those surfaces is going with the water when it flows over it. To make sure that nothing bad is getting into the drains, make sure those areas are clear at all times. If it’s too hard to keep the hard surface fully clean, dig a shallow trench along its border and add gravel to catch the waste before it goes somewhere where it shouldn’t be.
Above are some easy steps you can take to rid the earth of dirty water. Sure, you won’t be able to do it alone, but by taking the steps, you’re at least helping to make a difference. This the first step to full groundwater management.
