Click here for resources on landscaping (building a rain garden), or other tips for your home and yard to improve water quality. The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has the answers.

Nature’s Water Filter! Rain gardens are shallow landscaped depressions that capture, clean and absorb stormwater runoff from roofs, parking lots and roads.

For a complete list of hazardous household waste items, click the button below!

Never dump items such as cleaners, paints, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides on the ground or down the drain. They can contaminate groundwater and surface water.

If you have oil-based paint, your label will say “alkyd,” “oil-based,” and “caution: combustible.” The label will mention “mineral spirits,” “soya oil,” “aliphatic hydrocarbons,” or “petroleum distillates.”

Latex Paint (water-base) may be dried out with kitty litter or saw dust and placed in your garbage cart for disposal. This is not considered hazardous material.

If you have expired, unused or unwanted medications, properly disposing of them helps to protect the environment. It also helps to protect our community against prescription drug abuse, addiction, and accidental or intentional overdose.

Excess salt can run off paved surfaces into surface and groundwater increasing chloride concentrations to levels harmful to the aquatic environment and our drinking water. One tsp. of salt permanently pollutes 5 gal of water. One 12oz. coffee cup full is enough for 10 sidewalk spaces. 

Those so called “flushable” wipes are not so flushable! Only poo, pee, toilet paper and wash water are acceptable to go down the drains. Any wipes, grease, oils or fats that are flushed or rinsed down your drains can eventually cause backups into your home, which can be very expensive.

When it rains, leaves in the roadway will flow to the nearest waterway through a storm inlet leading to a release of nutrients that cause algae blooms & weeds to grow. This can be harmful to the environment. Built up leaves in the roadway can also cause localized flooding. Adopt a storm inlet near you and help keep our clean water, CLEAN!

Leaking above and underground storage tanks can be a major source of contamination. Check all tanks on your property regularly for leaks.

If you have a septic system, have it checked every 2–3 years to insure it is working properly. Improperly maintained septic systems can leach harmful nutrients and bacteria into the surface and groundwater. For information on how to care for your septic system, please visit: EPA.gov.

Close any abandoned wells on your property. They can act as conduits for contamination of groundwater.

During the camping season, remember to properly dispose of your black water tank waste at a designated RV sanitary dump station. Improper disposal of waste contaminates the ground and water and leaves the “great outdoors”—not-so-great!

Close any abandoned wells on your property. They can act as conduits for contamination of groundwater.