May

Healthy Household Habits For Clean Water

HEALTHY HOUSEHOLD HABITS FOR CLEAN WATER

You may not think that little things you do at your house make a difference. But the combined effort of an

entire community makes a big impact!

Polluted runoff is the nation’s great threat to clean water. As storm water flows over driveways, lawns, and sidewalks, it picks up debris, chemicals, dirt and other pollutants. Storm water can flow into a storm sewer system or directly to a stream, river, lake, or wetland. Anything that enters the storm sewer system is discharged untreated into the water bodies we use for swimming, fishing, and providing drinking water.

By practicing healthy household habits, homeowners can keep common pollutants like pesticides, grass clippings, and automotive fluids off the ground and out of storm water. Adopt these healthy household habits and help protect rivers, wetlands, and lakes. Remember to share the habits with your neighbors!

Vehicle and Garage

	Wash your car on the lawn or other unpaved surface to minimize dirty, soapy water from flowing into storm drains
	Check your car, boat, and other machinery and equipment for leaks and spills
	Recycle used oil and other automotive fluids at participating locations
	Do not dump chemicals down the storm drain

Lawn and Garden

	Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly
	Select native plants and grasses that are drought and pesticide resistant
	Compost or recycle yard waste
	Do not over water your lawn. Water during cool times of the day
	Cover piles of dirt and mulch used during landscaping projects to prevent from blowing or washing off your yard

Home Repair and Improvement

	Protect storm drains from debris and other materials
	Sweep up construction debris such as concrete
	Use hazardous substances like paints, solvents and cleaners in the smallest amounts possible
	Purchase and use nontoxic, biodegradable, recycled and recyclable products when possible
	Clean paint brushes in a sink, not outdoors
	Reduce the amount of paved area and increase the amount of vegetated area in your yard

Pet Care

When walking your pet, remember to pick up pet waste and dispose of it properly

Lake County depends upon clean water to sustain life and requires it for many social and recreational needs, and economic viability. We have a rich heritage based upon our access to clean, abundant and scenic water

sources. Keeping water clean in Lake County is especially important since we have so much of it. Water comprises 76% of the County. We have over 400 miles of streams and rivers and 751 square miles of water, including 31 miles of Lake Erie coastline

EcoClean Carpet Care uses natural, bio-degradable products, which have been certified as non toxic to aquatic ecosystems, non toxic to humans, do not contain ingredients that are carcinogens, are not corrosive to skin or eyes, not combustible, does not contribute to the production of photochemical smog, tropospheric ozone, or poor air quality and meets established volatile organic content (VOC) limits.

Many carpet cleaners don’t even think about how and where to properly dispose of the waste that is removed from your carpets during professional carpet cleaning. Far too many carpet cleaners will empty their waste directly onto your driveway, street or parking lot.

We dispose of waste into the sanitary sewer system.

Where does your carpet cleaner dump their waste?