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CLEAN WATER OR GREEN WATER -- THE CHOICE IS OURS
In Minnesota, three out of four people use groundwater as their source of drinking water. The most common contaminants in groundwater include nitrates, phosphates, petroleum products and pesticides.
I recently viewed a video titled "Every curb is a shoreline." The title refers to the fact that, while few of us may actually own lake or river shoreline as part of our property, virtually everyone lives in a watershed that drains to a river or lake. Storm sewer systems are designed to move water away from our residences and businesses as quickly as possible. Curb and gutter systems in most developed cities and towns, unfortunately, are also very efficient at transporting whatever pollutants have collected on roads, streets and sidewalks to our state's rivers and lakes.
For the past year, Master Gardeners have been promoting an educational campaign to improve groundwater quality by encouraging good water practices in homes and gardens. With the theme "Clean water or green water: The choice is yours," the campaign is designed to prevent phosphorus and other pollutants from entering rivers, lakes and streams where these pollutants can contribute to raised nutrient levels and undesirable "green" water.
Many of the practices that can reduce water pollution are relative simple but are often overlooked by misinformed gardeners and homeowners.
Homes and cabins located on shorelines of lakes and streams represent one of the highest-risk locations for polluted water. Since most home and cabin lots slope to the water, pollutants of all kinds are easily washed to the water by rainfall. Lawn fertilizer is one of the worst pollutants and is especially damaging to water when lawns extend all the way to the shoreline. An alternative to lawns that stretch to the shoreline is an ecologically smart buffer zone that extends 50 feet in both directions from where the water meets the shore. Wildflowers, grasses and other native plants on the shoreline side of the buffer zone prevent runoff, utilize nutrients and attract butterflies, birds and other wildlife. Reeds, rushes and sedges in the water utilize nutrients and attract fish and other forms of aquatic life.
Inside homes, a number of practices can help improve water quality and reduce water consumption and chemical buildup in water. Consider reducing use of the garbage disposal by sending more of your kitchen leftovers -- fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells and coffee grounds -- to the compost bin. Wash dishes and laundry only when full loads are available. Choose low-phosphate dishwasher and laundry detergents.
Flow restrictor faucets, low-flow showerheads and low-flush toilets can further reduce water consumption. Refrain from using toilets as wastebaskets for Kleenix, cigarettes, medicines and other refuse. Eliminate in-tank bowl cleaners and use all cleaning products in moderation.
In the workshop, dispose of hazardous products properly. Paints, thinners, solvents and other poisons should be delivered to county recycling centers rather than buried or tossed in garbage containers. Don't wash paintbrushes under running water in the sink. Don't use floor drains or storm sewers as disposals for chemicals and solvents, and recycle auto oil, antifreeze and transmission fluid.
Grass clippings and leaves should never be allowed to enter the storm-sewer system. Recycling lawnmowers that return grass clippings to the lawn can reduce the need for lawn fertilizer. If lawn clippings and leaves are bagged, they should be disposed of at a composting site rather than a landfill.
"Most people would be horrified to watch the water entering lakes and streams from storm sewers immediately following an intense rainfall," says Bob Mugaas, Hennepin County extension educator. "You would likely see all sorts of junk and garbage, leaves, grass clippings, twigs, branches, soil, oil slicks and other forms of organic debris. What you would not see are the many different forms of dissolved organic and inorganic compounds flushed from streets, landscapes and rooftops that makes up the individual watersheds.
"Many of these materials contain phosphorus and other nutrients that can cause aquatic plant and algae populations to explode. Even un-decomposed organic materials such as leaves and grass clippings will decompose eventually and cause an undesirable flush of algae growth called 'blooms.'"
There are many aspects of managing our environment that we have no control over. Mugaas advises that each of us practice those things that we can do to positively impact water quality.
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