Stormwater Around Your Home

Ever wonder what you can do around your home to make stormwater cleaner and Protect Wisconsin’s Waterways? Check out the articles below to learn more about what you can do at home to keep Wisconsin’s lakes, rivers, streams, creeks, and ponds clean!

Around the Yard

Storm drain with leaves

One of the biggest impacts you can have on stormwater health is changing your gardening and yard maintenance practices. Below are a few key everyday activities you can do in your yard to protect our waterways. Following these small suggestions while you maintain your yard will lessen the negative effects on the Rock River and other Wisconsin waterways.

Rain Gardens – A beautiful way to keep water out of storm drains

Cover Bare Soil – Keep sediments and soil out of the water

Mowing – Mow it high and let it lie

Lawn Watering – Smart watering for a smart-looking lawn

Fertilizer and Pesticides – A little goes a long way

Leaves – Nature’s mulch

Pet Waste – Don’t let Fido spoil your river

Downspouts – Don’t waste the water that comes off your roof

Flooding – Learn how to prevent stormwater damage from flooding and erosion

From Your Driveway To the Drains

Proper yard maintenance isn’t the only place you can make a difference. Check out these tips for reducing your impact on our waterways in your driveway, on your sidewalks, and the street storm drains near your house. Remember, YOU can make a difference on the water quality in Wisconsin’s waterways.

Car Care – Boats are not the only vehicles that affect water

Car Washing Tips– When you wash your car, hazardous materials can flow into our waterways

Road Salt and De-Icers – Maintain safe roads, driveways, and sidewalks with water-safe alternatives

Hazardous Household Chemicals – Hazardous to people and rivers – make sure not to dump household chemicals, paints, or other items down the storm drain

 

See an issue in your neighborhood. Let us know about a violation so we can educate the person to stop polluting our waterways.