Think Blue Maine – Clean Water Starts with you!

Why Should You "Think Blue"?

Do you remember seeing any "rubber ducky" ads on television last year? ("If stormwater pollution were Rubber Duckies, we wouldn't have a problem..."). The ads were the beginnings of a campaign by the Think Blue Maine Partners to promote clean stormwater. Because they were such a huge success last year, the television ad and its companion radio ads will air again this summer.

But what exactly is stormwater?
Stormwater is produced by rain or snow melt. Under natural circumstances, the water infiltrates into the ground and recharges the groundwater. However, in developed areas, it flows over solid surfaces, such as roofs, driveways, streets, sidewalks and parking lots, and even compacted dirt driveways and roads. As it flows over these surfaces, it increases in volume and speed, and picks up sediment, pesticides and herbicides, spilled oil and gasoline, and bacteria that are in its path. The stormwater, now contaminated, will flow overland directly into a local water body, or go into a stormwater catch basin, and then into the water.

So why should we protect stormwater from becoming polluted?
The contaminated stormwater flows directly into your local ponds, lakes, streams and rivers. This stormwater pollutes our local fishing spots, swimming holes, and drinking water. The sediment that can collect in stormwater (known as TSS, or Total Suspended Solids) can suffocate aquatic life. The bacteria from dog waste or leaking septic systems can cause beach closures.

There were over 1,500 beach closures attributed to polluted stormwater in 1998. Studies have also shown that people that swim close to stormwater outfalls (the actual pipes that the stormwater comes out of) have a higher chance of getting a gastrointestinal illness than those that stay 400 yards or more away. Ugh!

Household hazardous wastes also contribute to polluted stormwater. When people accidentally or purposefully dump oil, old paint, or cleaners down the storm drain, it's as if they have dumped these substances directly into their local water body. These chemicals poison aquatic life.

Litter, like plastic bags, paper, and cigarette butts can injure, suffocate, and disable wildlife like birds, turtles, and fish. Even your grass clippings and leaves can impact water bodies as they are swept into gutters or ditches and washed away by stormwater. When a normal amount of organic matter (grass and leaves, for instance) naturally falls into a lake, there is little impact. But when too much organic matter flows into a lake, it uses a large amount of oxygen from the water as it decomposes. Since this decreases the amount of oxygen in the water, everything suffers that lives in the lake — from the invertebrate to the fish.

YOU can protect stormwater. Here are some quick, easy tips:

Be sure to repair drips in leaky vehicles. Stormwater that washes underneath these cars will carry the oil and gasoline away. Also, wash your car in your yard, so that the water (and the cleaners, oils, and dirt) infiltrates into the ground. Try to dispose of used oil, antifreeze, etc. at recycling centers or during a Household Hazardous Waste days in your area.

To prevent bacteria from reaching stormwater, maintain your septic tank. Pump your tank as necessary, usually every 3 to 5 years. Also, be sure to pick up your pet waste. In many areas, it's often the law, and it's a good pet owner's responsibility.

We all know not to litter. Try going the extra step and pick it up if you see it, or join a local watershed or lake clean up day.

Plant a buffer. Buffers are grassy swales and vegetated strips that act as the last line of defense against polluted stormwater. They can be manicured (flower beds or vegetable gardens) or natural areas (brushy, overgrown areas). They serve as a filter, preventing many of the pollutants from reaching the water bodies they surround. They provide natural places for the rain water to collect and soak in. Rain from roof tops and paved areas can be diverted into buffers.

If you are going to use pesticides or herbicides on your lawn or garden, try the organic kind. Which ever type you use, be sure to read the directions carefully and do not over apply. Also, compost your lawn waste (grass clippings and leaves) for the reasons we mentioned earlier in this article.

Remember, storm drains are not connected to the sanitary sewer system, and do not get treated. What ever goes in those drains goes directly to your local water bodies.