Every Drop Counts

August is National Water Quality Month, a time set aside to remind us to celebrate and protect our most precious resource: water. Water is vital to human health, agriculture, the environment, and recreation. But did you know that every drop of water we will ever have on Earth is already here? Water moves through the water cycle, changing form and location but never reproduces. When water becomes contaminated and unusable, it is gone forever with no other water to replace it.

Become a Water Steward

The good news is, we can all help keep our water clean! The first step is recognizing that our day-to-day lives impact our water systems. For example, have you ever flushed expired medicines down the toilet? Sadly, the chemicals can’t all be filtered at the water treatment plant. When cleaned wastewater is released back into the environment, the medication is still in the water, which makes its way downstream.  Have you ever flushed so-called “flushable” wipes? These mislabeled wipes sadly do not break down nearly as easily as toilet paper, and wind up mucking up wastewater pumps and causing blockages in pipes. These blockages can lead to Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs), which release wastewater directly into the environment. The contaminated water also ends up in nearby creeks, rivers, and streams, causing a smelly and dangerous mess in the water.

Making small changes to our everyday actions, like trashing wipes instead of flushing them (or better yet — forgoing them altogether) and disposing of medicines properly, can have huge impacts on water and life.

Eight Changes You Can Make

This Water Quality Month, consider committing to changing your ways. Here are eight easy changes you can make to be a water quality steward:

1. 1. Visit the car wash.
      When you wash your car at home, the soaps and chemicals you use run into storm drains. Storm drains release water directly into nearby water sources with no treatment process to clean it up. Professional car washes are legally required to drain water into sanitary sewer systems, where the water is then treated at a wastewater treatment plant before it is released back into the environment. An added bonus: Car washes are more efficient and use less water than washing at home.
   2. Pick it up.
      It’s good etiquette to clean up after your pet when taking it for a walk, but it is also good for the environment. Pet feces washes into storm drains and nearby water sources if you don’t pick it up and dispose of it in a toilet or trash can.
   3. Skip the hose.
      Use a broom to clean your outdoor spaces rather than hosing them down. This saves water and prevents pollution from making its way to storm drains.
   4. Garden organically.
      Skip the fertilizer and try organic feed for your plants and vegetables. Fertilizer with phosphorus is especially dangerous for nearby water sources and groundwater. This practice is healthier for you, too!
   5. Take back your medicines.
      As mentioned, medicines down the drain can be dangerous to flora and fauna in nearby water sources. You don’t want to dispose of old medications in the trash either — animals can get to them, and rain causes them to leach into groundwater. Instead, take your medications to a safe disposal site, such as your local pharmacy. Also, keep an eye out for twice-yearly drug take-back days at local hospitals and police stations, which usually take place in October and April.
   6. Dispose of paint, oil, and antifreeze properly.
      Oil-based paints are considered hazardous materials, as are oil and antifreeze. They all can make their way to local water sources or groundwater if disposed of in the trash or down the drain. If you have usable paint, oil, or antifreeze, check with your local charitable organization for an option to donate. Otherwise, many Greenville County recycling centers accept these items.
   7. Avoid antibacterial soaps and cleaning products.
      These products are toxic to marine life. They also kill the good bacteria in your household, making it harder to treat infection. Gentle, natural soaps are effective and safe cleaners.
   8. Use a rain barrel.
      Make good use of those summer storms by collecting water in rain barrels. The water can then be used to water your plants on drier days. The Contestee Nature Preserve occasionally holds rain barrel workshops to teach you how to build your own!

Each of these small actions can have a big impact. Remember also to keep an eye on your own home’s water quality. Greenville Water water quality is typically great, but problems with your plumbing can lower your water quality — and indicate a need for repair. Cheap water quality tests can be easily found online.

Learn more about how to protect your water sources at www.metroconnects.org.