What Can I do?
Lakes
• Keep hazardous materials out of the water
• Use low-phosphate or phosphate-free detergents.
• Clean up spilled brake fluid, oil, grease, and antifreeze. Do not hose these materials into the street where they can drain into streams and lakes.
• Keep litter, pet waste, leaves, and debris out of street gutters and storm drains. Pet waste can be disposed of with human waste. Avoid hosing dirt into storm sewers because it can reduce flow in them and be carried into lakes and rivers. Sweep walks instead of washing them down with water.
• Do not flush old medicines down the drain. Take them to a pharmacy for safe disposal.
• If you wash your car at home, try to avoid allowing detergents to run into the storm sewers.
• Check septic systems every three years, and pump out tanks before they overflow.