Welcome
to the Pathway to Water Quality
What Can You
Do at Home?
 Native
Plants tend
to grow better than introduced species because
they have evolved under local
growing conditions. They are less prone to
disease and, once established, require less
watering and fertilizer. They can also reduce
the amount of lawn you need to mow.
Pervious
Concrete allows water to filter through it
where pollutants are trapped and cleaned
before running into the soil and the earth
below. That way, dirty storm water doesn't
run off into our water supply.
Backyard
Conservation such as ponds wetlands, tree
plantings, composting, mulching and creating
wildlife habitat all help the environment
and enhance your surroundings. See the Indiana Wildlife Federation and NRCS Backyard Conservation Web pages.
Rain
Barrels, placed below a downspout of a roof
gutter, collect and store rain water than can
be used to water plants and gardens. Rain barrels
conserve water and reduce water bills. Rain
Gardens use plants to absorb and filter rain
water that would otherwise wash pollutants
from your lawn, driveway and street into storm
drains, which lead to our rivers, lakes and
streams. PWQ Rain Barrel Guide | PWQ Rain Garden Guide
Another good resource is EPA's GreenScapes Program that provides cost-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for landscaping. Designed to help preserve natural resources and prevent waste and pollution, GreenScapes encourages homeowners, companies, government agencies and other entities to make more holistic decisions regarding waste generation and disposal and the associated impacts on land, water, air and energy use.
Walk
the Path
that Water
Walks .
. .
Where
does all the water go after it rains? How does what
people do on their land at home, on the farm and
in the cities affect water and soil quality? Pathway
to Water Quality can show you. PWQ is a model watershed
that shows you how land "sheds" excess
water and what than means to you. |
