How You Can Help Keep Our Water Clean
Monday, April 27, 2009
Water is one of our most valuable resources. We drink it, plants need it to grow and fish call it home. Without clean water, we could not live.
While clean water is essential for all life, pollution and irresponsible water use plague our rivers, lakes and streams. Nationwide, states have determined that almost half of our rivers, streams and lakes are polluted enough that they don’t support recreational or aquatic life water uses. Poor city planning, droughts and water overuse also take a toll on our nation’s water supply.
The Midwest is no exception. Pollution from nitrogen and phosphorus (found in fertilizers and some detergents) causes algae overgrowth, which makes water unusable for drinking and recreating and unlivable for aquatic life. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products are becoming common in our rivers, lakes and streams, harming amphibians and potentially causing human impacts that are not yet understood. Many communities that are dependent on groundwater around the Midwest are tapping aquifers faster than they can be replenished and face possible water shortages in the coming years.
At home and in your community there are many steps you can take to clean up and conserve water. Simple actions such as recycling your car’s oil and purchasing environmentally friendly products can make a big difference in keeping the Midwest’s rivers and lakes clean. By repairing leaky faucets and installing low-flow toilets, homeowners can save thousands of gallons of water each year, helping to conserve the Midwest’s water resources.
Tips: Reduce your water use
Tips: Help keep our water clean
Tags: Water Conservation
