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Water Quality: You Can Make A Difference!

During normal periods all the runoff from Haller Lake and Bitter Lake, north of Licton Springs, along with whatever else goes into the storm drains, flows through Licton Springs and then into the sanitary sewer system. ceramic fish

When there are periods of high runoff, due to storms and long rainy periods, the sewer system in inadequate to handle all this flowing water and shunts part of it untreated into Green Lake. All the runoff from Green Lake eventually reaches a wastewater treatment plant before entering Puget Sound. By next year, sewer pipe improvements by METRO will divert the water from Licton Springs around Green Lake into Lake Union. Everything you dump into storm drains has the possibility of ending up in Green Lake or Lake Union eventually.

ceramic fish If you don't want to swim in it, then don't dump it into the storm drains.

Dos and Don'ts

The following are some dos and don'ts for taking care of our water and improving water quality in our area.

Do not allow auto-related pollutants to run off your driveway or street and enter storm water drains. Recycle crankcase oil and deposit antifreeze at hazardous waste sites.

If you must use soap when washing your car, then try and drain the water onto lawns and gardens. Diluted soap will not harm your lawn and plants, but soap will add to the nutrient level in bodies of water, encouraging the growth of undesirable aquatic plants including milfoil.

Dispose of paint and related products in the proper manner. Water based paints can be dried in the can and thrown in the garbage. All oil-based paints, paint thinners and solvents must be taken to hazardous waste collection sites or specific transfer stations for proper disposal. Storm drains are not proper disposal sites.

Remember the adage: We all live downstream. That means if you dump it downstream onto someone else, then someone else upstream is probably doing the same thing to you. Be a responsible citizen. If you are unsure what to do with hazardous wastes, check this King County METRO web site on hazardous waste for more information.

Flood Control

Wetlands intercept storm water runoff and essentially store the water, discharging it at a slower rate than would be possible if the wetlands were not there. This reduces the danger of flooding during peak flows.

ceramic fish

Filtration Of Water

Filtration is the means by which wetlands (also soil and microbes) remove organic inorganic and toxic materials from the water that flows through them. Healthy wetlands, under favorable conditions, can do much to cleanse surface water before it reaches larger bodies of water.

 

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