What's Up, Watershed? Three Easy Ways You Can Prevent Pollution This Summer!

Summer is here and it’s time to enjoy the outdoors!  As we spend time outside this season, let’s keep our waterways clean so we can continue enjoying activities including fishing, swimming, and boating!  Much of the pollution in our waterways comes from what is called non-point source pollution — that is, pollution that comes from all of us, not a single, identifiable source. This pollution often enters our waterways during rainstorms through storm sewer systems, which often lead directly to our creeks and streams. This month, I’m sharing three easy ways you can help protect our waterways this summer.  Let’s dive in!

Chris Bunn

Environmental Program Coordinator

Pennsylvania Resources Council

1. SCOOP THE POOP! 

Did you know that pet waste can carry harmful bacteria into our waterways? It’s true – studies have shown that fecal pollution from dogs is present in many of our waterways. When dog owners don’t clean up their pet waste, rain storms can wash it into our storm sewer systems, which often lead directly to our local

creeks and streams. The result:  bacteria such as e. Coli and enterococci end up in our water. These bacteria can cause serious health issues if ingested by humans, which can occur while swimming. So when you’re walking your dog this summer, please remember to pick up the poop and dispose of it in the trash!

2. CHANGE HOW YOU WASH YOUR CAR 

As the days get warmer and sunnier, it seems like the perfect time to get outside and wash your car. But did you know that washing your car in certain ways can cause harm to our environment? Many car washing soaps contain surfactants — these are chemical compounds that help remove soils and oils from surfaces.

Studies have shown that surfactants can cause gill damage and loss of sight in fish as well as decrease dissolved oxygen in water that many organisms need to breathe!

 You can fight this pollution by switching to an all-natural, biodegradable car-washing soap. You can also wash your car on a permeable surface such as a lawn, which helps to filter out pollutants before they enter our waterways.

3. TEST YOUR SOIL BEFORE FERTILIZING

For many people, fertilizing lawns and gardens is an annual ritual.

Fertilizers can help plants such as turf grasses and food crops to grow bigger and stronger, but people tend to over-use them.  When fertilizers wash into our waterways, they can cause algae to grow in large quantities, using up dissolved oxygen, and emitting toxins that can harm humans and wildlife.

One easy way to prevent this pollution is to test your soil before applying fertilizer.  You can do this easily for $10 through the Penn State Extension, which will provide you with a report with fertilizer recommendations tailored to your specific situation. 

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Having fun this summer doesn’t have to mean polluting our local waterways.  Simple things including picking up after our pets, washing our cars with eco-friendly methods, and appropriately using fertilizers can help us protect our environment so it remains a safe place to swim, fish, and play.  After all, getting outside is what summer is all about!  Stay safe out there and we’ll see you next time on another edition of “What’s Up, Watershed?”.

Photos shown (top to bottom): Water Alternatives, Scott Akerman, Juanacosta84, USDA NRCS Montana