This past year has been challenging for everyone dealing with the pandemic, and people are anxious to get outside and work in the yard or go for a walk now that the weather is shaping up. Consider following some of the following tips to help protect the quality of our watershed.
- Collect and properly dispose of blown stray trash the winter winds may have left behind. Litter can end up in sewer lines that can lead to a blockage and/or possible flooding in neighborhoods.
- If you’re taking your dog along for a walk, be sure to bring dog waste bags for cleanup and disposal. Pet waste contains bacteria and nutrients that are harmful to streams and Lake Erie. When it rains,these pollutants wash directly into the storm sewers and eventually into Lake Erie, untreated.
- Mulch your yard this spring to add free nitrogen to your yard instead of paying for fertilizers. If you fertilize, do so carefully. Too much fertilizer or if it’s applied at the wrong time can easily wash off your lawn or garden into storm drains. Avoid applying fertilizer close to waterways. These nutrients can lead to an increase in the growth of algae that depletes the oxygen in the water needed by fish and other organisms to survive. Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) can produce toxins, making the water undrinkable.
- Capture the discharge from your downspouts with a rain garden, or rain barrel; or redirect any downspouts you have that currently spill onto sidewalks or a driveway into your lawn so the storm water soaks into the ground instead of running off.
For more information, contact the City of Mentor Building and Engineering Department at (440) 255-1100.