Non-toxic Cleaning ProductsWhat can We do to Improve Our Water Quality?

The choices Canadians make every day can help protect our water sources. Individual actions such as taking used engine oil and other household hazardous waste to a proper waste facility, to collective efforts of Canadians working together to develop watershed-based source protection and integrated management plans can assist in protection.

At Home

1. Properly dispose of products, such as cleaners that contain toxic chemicals, pesticides, paints, solvents, gasoline and flammable liquids. Do not dump these products into sewers, the ground, the toilet or the garbage. Take them to your local household hazardous waste depot. Call your city or municipality to find out where your household hazardous waste depot is.
2. Properly dispose of pharmaceutical drugs at your local drugstore that usually have programs to collect unused medications. Do not dispose of pharmaceutical drugs in sewers, the ground, toilets or the garbage.
3. Use non-toxic cleaning products - look for the Environmental Choice EcoLogo to find environmentally friendly products. Products bearing this label have been tested and certified by the Canadian Standards Association. The logo identifies the products that maximize energy efficiency and the use of recycled or recyclable materials and minimize the use of environmentally hazardous substances. Take your car to a commercial car wash designed to prevent pollutant runoff from entering storm sewers. Check with your city or municipality to see if they have banned driveway car washes, such as in the City of Toronto.
4. Pick up after your pets and do not allow animal waste to wash into storm sewers or collect in surface waters.
5. Minimize or eliminate the use of road salts in the winter.
6. Disconnect your eaves through downspout from the sewer and catch the water in a rain barrel, and use it to water your garden. Or allow it to slowly flow to an area where it can soak into the ground and replenish the groundwater
7. Lay a permeable driveway surface, and remove as much as possible any impermeable surfaces around your house.
8. Reduce or remove your lawn and plant a low water garden or work towards minimizing your pesticide and herbicide use. You can also use your lawn clippings as fertilizer.

While Boating

1. Do not wash yourself or your boat in surface waters
2. Work with cottage associations, local land trusts and municipalities to develop a lake plan to guide responsible development
3. Use a marine sanitation device for sewage discharge on houseboats and yachts, or a pumpout service – aim to use Green Marina’s when touring.

At the FarmCows

1. Maintain wide vegetative cover along streams, ditches and runoff channels to prevent erosion and filter nutrients and sediment
2. Manage livestock grazing, as over grazing exposes soil and increases erosion
3. Discourage or prevent livestock from entering watercourses and provide livestock with an alternative water supply
4. Implement a Nutrient Management Plan, which manages the use of commercial fertilizers and manure to maintain high yields with minimal environmental and societal impact
5. Manage confined animal facilities and manure storage sites. Implement waste management systems to prevent runoff from major sources of animal waste
6. Implement an Integrated Pest Management plan, which helps to limit pesticide use
7. Keep pesticides away from surface water and wells
8. Properly install and operate fuel storage tanks to prevent spills
9. Develop an environmental farm plan
10. Get informed and receive planning assistance from the rural water development program

Water Front Residences

1. Maintain a natural shoreline and include a buffer zone of vegetation between the residence and the shore.
2. Do not create an artificial beach with imported sand. This damages fish habitat and spawning areas. Most cities and municipalities have regulations against artificial beach building.

Private Well Owners
If you have a private well, it is your responsibility to protect and maintain the well. Water wells should be sampled and tested regularly to help ensure that the water is safe for consumption. Good well management includes designating an appropriate well location and practicing good housekeeping around the well. Keep an adequate distance between your well and potential contaminant sources, including septic systems, pesticides, fertilizers and other sources of nutrients and hazardous materials. In general, the potential for well water to become contaminated decreases as the distance between the well and the sources of contamination increases.

The quality of well water also depends, in part, on the condition of the well. Sediments and natural chemicals in the groundwater can accumulate and reduce a well’s ability to supply water. In 1998, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment found that the occurrence of well water quality degradation in Ontario was directly related to the type, depth and age of the well. Dug wells, shallow wells, and older wells (over 60 years) were more impacted by human activities than were drilled wells, deeper wells and newer wells.

To help ensure a good supply of safe drinking water, employ a licensed professional to inspect your well. Loose caps and leaking well casings are pathways for contaminants to enter groundwater. For this reason, it is important to take preventative measures:

1. Make sure caps are securely in place and are vermin-proof (to prevent other potential sources of contamination, such as insects and small animals).
2. If a well casing has any holes or cracks, have a licensed contractor repair it.
3. Ensure that there is an impermeable sealant filling the gap between the outside of the well casing and the edge of the surrounding hole in the ground. Lack of sealant, improper selection of sealant, improper placement of the sealant, and accidental collision with the casing (a common occurrence) can all result in contaminated surface water running freely down the outside of the casing to the bottom of the well. There are other steps that private well owners can take to protect wells:
4. Keep cars, trucks and other heavy machinery away from the wellhead because they can damage the well casing;
5. Make sure that proper venting techniques are in place to prevent the build-up of noxious gases in the wells;
6. Install backflow devices on all taps with hose connections to prevent water from siphoning back into the well;
7. Ensure that water does not pond around the well. Make sure the ground around the well is mounded and that surface water in the area is directed away from the well;
8. Do not allow liquids or wastes from garbage and manure piles to drain towards the well casing;
9. Do not treat the area around the well with pesticides or fertilizers
10. Do not flush oils, detergents, paints, solvents or other chemicals down the toilet;
11. Keep records on the location and status of all wells (and septic systems) on the property. The property owner is also responsible for all unused and abandoned wells. Abandoned or unused wells that are not maintained properly can cause water problems in other nearby wells and affect entire aquifers. Hire a licensed contractor to properly plug and seal the well, and keep records of any work done.

Septic System Owners

Regularly maintaining a properly sized septic system, using water moderately, and taking care about what you dispose can help protect water sources. Signs of a malfunctioning septic system include toilets, showers and sinks that take a long time to drain, occasional sewage odours, and grass over the system that is unusually green or spongy. If you notice these signs, contact a licensed contractor. Some examples of what should not be flushed or poured down the drain include:

1. Medications;
2. Diapers;
3. Feminine hygiene products;
4. Grease, and chemicals, such as paints, solvents, thinners and other household compounds not intended for down-the-drain use;
5. Kitty litter;
6. Coffee grounds;
7. Cigarette butts;
8. Photographic solutions;
9. Pesticides or herbicides.

If a product does not break down naturally, do not flush it into your septic tank. If you question whether the septic system can handle it, do not put it in the toilet or down the drain either, but dispose of it appropriately. Other tips:

1. Septic tanks accumulate solid material that must be pumped out. Have a licensed contractor inspect your septic system every two years, pumping out the solids when required.
2. Properly size your septic system. If you install additional water uses, such as toilets or showers, the septic system may need to be upgraded.
3. Keep a good cover of grass over the tile bed to take up excess nutrients and water.
4. Divert storm and drainage water away from the septic system.
5. Do not allow cars, trucks or any other equipment around the tile bed as the wheels may crush it and ruts may alter the drainage patterns.