When doing yard work this spring, remember to help keep our waterways clean by following a few tips.
- Sweep up the left over salt, dirt, litter, and debris from the sidewalk and driveway. Do not let it all wash away with the next rainfall.
- If there is yard waste, leaves, and branches in your yard, properly dispose of the waste. Never dump waste at the banks of streams or in a storm sewer. This waste will clog the sewers and stream channels and is harmful to the flora and fauna in-and-around the water.
- Remove any pet waste that was left behind from the winter to help reduce the amount of bacteria entering our waterways. High amounts of bacteria in Lake Erie can lead to beach closings due to unsafe swimming conditions.
- Keep in mind, storm water does not flow to a wastewater treatment plant like the wastewater plumbed inside our homes. Anything that flows down a storm sewer at the street will wash directly to Lake Erie, untreated. That is why we all should do our part to keep our waterways and Lake Erie clean!
For more information, contact the City of Mentor Building and Engineering Department at (440) 255-1100.