Keep leaves, grass clippings, fertilizers, soaps, litter and harmful chemicals away from streets, ditches, storm drains and waterways.  These waste products feed our waterways with added nutrients and toxins that contribute to harmful algae growth and kill fish.

Disconnect your downspouts.  Be sure that roof gutters and downspouts empty onto the grass, rain garden or landscaped area where rainwater can soak into the ground or into a covered rain barrel to be used later for watering plants rather than allowing it to rush over asphalt and concrete.  Downspouts on many homes are connected directly the storm sewer system. Disconnecting downspouts reduces the amount of water entering the system and reduces the amount of pollutants that get to the creeks, streams and lakes.

Bag pet waste and place it in the trash.  Pet waste contains harmful bacterial pollutants which endanger our creeks and lakes and our ability to use them. When water (i.e. rain, hose water, sprinklers, etc.) comes in contact with pet waste the resulting water runoff contains high concentrations of bacteria, parasites, and viruses.  When this runoff makes its way to ditches and storm drains these pollutants get washed into our creeks and Lake Erie. Check out Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s “Pick Up Poop” program.