Stormwater Awareness Week urges Ohioans to take action for clean water

Communities across Ohio are urging residents to “Be the Change for Clean Water” and take action during Stormwater Awareness Week, Oct. 1-7, to make a big impact on protecting surface and drinking waters.

While rainwater is great for lawns and gardens, runoff can affect water quality in streams and rivers by pushing common household items – such as trash, lawn fertilizer or paint – into local waterways, threatening our environment and clean drinking water. During Stormwater Awareness Week, soil and water conservation districts are urging residents to take one or more of the following actions:

• Pick up trash in your neighborhood or a local park. It can be a family game to see who can fill a bag first.
• Refrain from applying fertilizer to your lawn or applying any oil or chemicals to driveways and sidewalks. This will protect the environment and your pocketbook.
• Keep grass blades at 3-4 inches. This will reduce runoff, as well as make lawns easier to maintain.
• Plant native plants. They have deep roots, which will help break up clay soil and increase the amount of water absorbed on a property while benefiting birds, butterflies and bees.
• Plant a tree in your yard or install a rain garden. Trees can soak up thousands of gallons of rain annually and a well-designed rain garden can almost entirely reduce stormwater from a property.
• Encourage local businesses to become conservation partners.

Pollution left on roadways, sidewalks, driveways and parking lots drains directly to our streams and rivers. Stormwater can also erode streams, which can cause flooding. Each year, conservation districts deal with multiple sources of pollution and assist hundreds of homeowners concerned with stream erosion and flooding, all caused by stormwater runoff.

For more information on programs and resources for stormwater education and conservation visit Summit Soil and Water Conservation District at summitswcd.com. ∞