Minimize & Address Runoff
Runoff picks up pollutants and carries them to the Lake. Minimize the hard surfaces that create runoff.
Eliminate Pollutants
Eliminate pollutants at their source.
Avoid using fertilizer, household toxins, and other chemicals. Prevent soil erosion and failing septic systems.
Capture and Infiltrate
Capture and infiltrate any pollutant-carrying runoff that you didn’t eliminate before it reaches the Lake with shoreline buffers, rain barrels, and rain garden
What Can We Do To Make A Difference
Lake Friendly Lawn Care
Fertilizers, leaves, grass clippings, animal waste, and eroded soil are all sources of phosphorus. When they are swept or washed into the street or nearest storm drain, they end up in a nearby stream or the lake. Follow these tips for smart lawn care with water quality in mind.
- Apply fertilizer at the recommended rate. Fall is the best time. Don’t fertilize before a storm. Never apply to frozen ground. Or better yet, skip the fertilizer all together!
- Yard waste can contribute significant amounts of phosphorus to water ways. Keep soil, leaves, and lawn clippings out of the street, ditches, storm drains, and streams by bagging, composting, or leaving leaves right on the lawn as a natural fertilizer.
- Mow higher! Keep grass length to roughly 3 inches. It is healthier for your lawn and means you can mow less often!
- Pick up pet waste. Pet waste can contain harmful bacteria as well as phosphorus. Flush it in the toilet or place it in the garbage.
When it comes to fertilizing, ZERO is more!
It is best not to use fertilizer at all. However, there is a safer means to fertilize your lawn. When shopping for fertilizer, look for phosphorus-free fertilizer. Phosphorus free fertilizer can be identified by examining three numbers on fertilizer bags that show the N-P-K nutrient analysis. The middle number is the phosphate (phosphorus) content. A “zero” in the middle means it is phosphorus-free
Phosphorus is not our Friend
Phosphorus can have a devastating impact on the water quality of our lake. Therefore, we need to be ever mindful of protecting the lake of it and keeping phosphorous levels as low as possible.
What is Phosphorus? Phosphorus is a natural element and an essential nutrient for plant growth but is found only in small amounts in lakes and streams. Even small increases in phosphorus can lead to negative results such as stimulating algae growth and the unwanted green blooms as well as creating excessive plant growth in the lake. More phosphorus also leads to less fish as dying and decaying algae robs the water of dissolved oxygen fish require to thrive.
Essential Best Practices for a Healthy Lake
- Reduce Impermeable Surfaces
- Limit Lawn Size & Practice Smart Lawn Care
- Use Phosphorus-Free Fertilizer
- Conserve & Use Water Wisely
- Minimize Erosion
- Maintain Your Septic System Properly - see hints below
- Don’t Flush Your Drugs
- Reduce Household Hazardous Wastes
- Install a Vegetative Buffer
- Plant a Rain Garde
- Install a rain barrel to collect runoff from your roof and use to water
- Maintain Your Vehicles - Eliminate or reduce oil run off from boats & wave runners
Septic Tank Care and Maintenance
Maintaining your septic system - not only protects the lake and nearby groundwaters from being contaminated, but also protects your health and your investment in your home. Typical pollutants found in household wastewater include nitrogen, phosphorus, and disease-causing bacteria and viruses. A properly designed, constructed, and maintained system can provide long-term, effective treatment of household wastewater. If not properly maintained, a failing system can cost tens of thousands of dollars to replace.
A typical septic system has 4 main parts: 1) a pipe from the home that carries the wastewater into the tank; 2) a tank that holds the water long enough for the solids to settle out to the bottom and the oil and grease to float to the surface; 3) a drainfield where the water from the tank is discharged; 4) the soil where the microbes provide the final treatment.
Consider septic tank replacement options.....
Replacing a septic tank with a holding tank is by far the preferred and best option. Additionally, there are alternative systems now available that use new technologies to improve treatment processes, many of which need less space to function. Such systems use sand, peat or plastic media instead of soil to treat the wastewater.
Immediately Address Signs of a Failing Septic System
WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
- Pooling water or muddy soil around the tank or drainfield or in your basement
- Bad smell coming from area of tank
- Toilet or sink backs up when you flush or do laundry
- Bright green grass over the drain field
What the Experts Suggest
Recommendations for Proper Septic Tank Maintenance
- Regularly inspect your system, every 2 to 3 years, and pump your tank as necessary. In general, the tank should be pumped every 1-2 years but this depends on how much your system is used and its size. Your inspector can determine when it is time to pump your tank. If you don’t pump your tank routinely, the solids in the bottom can build up and make their way out into your leachfield, clogging it and eventually ruining it. You might not know you have a problem until it is too late and you need a new leachfield.
- Don’t dispose of household hazardous wastes in sinks or toilets. Avoid paints, chemicals, cleaners, gasoline, oil, or other toxic materials that could kill the good bacteria in your system. Avoid things that can clog pipes such as diapers, coffee grounds, feminine hygiene products, paper towels, and grease and fat from cooking. Avoid frequent use of a garbage disposal. Normal use of antibacterial products such as hand soap is fine but excessive use might kill too many beneficial bacteria in your system and prevent it from working properly.
- Care for your drainfield. Plant only grass or ground cover with shallow roots over or near your drainfield. Deep roots could clog and damage the drainfield. Don’t drive or park vehicles on the drainfield either. This could compact soil or damage the pipes. Keep roof drains, sump pump drains, and other surface water runoff away from the drainfield to avoid flooding it.
- Conserve Water – Be conscious of using efficiently everyday. Using less water means less water going through your septic system. This helps it operate properly and reduces stress on your system and the risk of a failure.
ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND DAILY BEST PRACTICES
- Avoid overloading your system with more water than it is meant to handle.
- Don’t do multiple loads of laundry all in one day - spread it out instead.
- Don’t drain a hot tub or pool into your tank or over your drainfield.
- Some water softeners or filters flush themselves daily. Make sure these aren’t discharging into your system.
- Consider using a basin in your sink when washing dishes and emptying it outside in order to limit the water flow into the tank.
