Water Quality
We All Live Downstream

This rainy region of Puget Sound is one of the wettest, most beautiful areas in the country, with tall trees, lush mountains, and fresh water rivers and streams that feed salmon runs and other marine life. Most people wouldn’t knowingly pollute this extraordinary place. But sadly, many inland gardeners, stream side residents and shoreline homeowners unwittingly do spread poisonous chemicals into the nearest stream, lake, aquifer or the Sound. When people wash their cars on the driveway, dump too much bleach down a drain into a septic system, or use synthetic pesticides, fungicides or herbicides on their lawns, water moves these chemicals way beyond their backyards! Some toxins, like pesticides, can leach down through the ground, contaminating drinking water. The contamination in runoff that comes from our own homes, gardens or cars is called non-point source pollution.

More and more of this invisible “contaminated cocktail” is entering our local waters. We are now losing Orca whales at an alarming rate. Scientists consider pesticide contamination, along with other persistent pollutants like PCB’s, to be a contributing factor to the decline of the whale population. Many runs of salmon in the northwest are now listed under the Endangered Species Act. Pesticides can kill fish directly or cause several sub-lethal effects, such as impaired migratory behavior, reproductive harm and certain deformities.

It’s tragic that certain products we buy in stores and use every day contain poisons that are completely invisible, yet potent toxins. If they were purple, we’d see the pollution in the water. If the chemicals turned our skin, or whales’ skin purple, we’d probably stop using them immediately! "Out of sight, out of mind", until we start to understand the whole story.

How Water Moves and Recycles Itself

For millennia in the northwest, rain fell upon permeable, forest-covered ground, which soaked up the rain like a sponge, replenishing the water table and aquifers. Some of the rainfall was transpired by the trees into the air, while some rain became surface water, filling wetlands and streams. The rest of the rain evaporated from lakes and Puget Sound creating clouds, which eventually emptied out this moisture as rain, which started the cycle all over again.

In these times however, water use is growing even faster than the population, so we are drawing down our aquifers faster than nature can replenish them. Also, we are covering over more of the precious spongy ground with impermeable surfaces that don’t allow water to soak down into the ground and the aquifers. Before urbanization, 15% of rainfall became runoff. Now, approximately 55-75% of rainfall runs off compacted soil (lawns) and paved surfaces, such as roads, driveways and roof tops. We grow a lot of lawns here; it’s America’s biggest “crop”! Unfortunately, most lawns are sitting upon compacted soil, inhibiting rain from replenishing the aquifers. When the grass grows into a thatch it further inhibits rain from getting through to aquifers. These factors have turned most lawns into impermeable surfaces, almost as bad as concrete!

Non-Point Pollution and Stormwater Runoff

Increased development is causing stormwater problems. We’re replacing our wonderful ground “sponge” by laying more pavement on top of it, with roads, walkways and driveways. These impermeable surfaces block water from soaking into the ground, where it should be replenishing the aquifers for drinking water. Consequently, less rain is absorbed into the ground, and more of it becomes stormwater, funneled from the rooftops to gutters, driveways, streets, then into storm drains or ditches, which lead eventually into the Puget Sound, instead of into the ground where we need it the most.

Surprisingly, most of these channels and drains are not filtered, and are not connected to any treatment plants. So, this stormwater travels through drains, ditches, and roads laced with petrochemicals and other toxins from cars, such as tire dust, motor oil, and antifreeze. Stormwater also leaches down through lawns containing pet waste or toxic garden chemicals. The once-clean rainwater becomes a contaminated cocktail of toxins for marine life, that we each add to, from driving cars, improperly maintaining septic tanks, or using chemicals on our lawns and gardens.

Urban Stormwater Routes

Problems with Stormwater

In areas where land uses change from rural to urban, unmanaged, unfiltered runoff causes serious damage to streams, lakes and estuaries of Puget Sound. Washington State Department of Ecology estimates that 1/3 of all polluted waters in Washington are polluted by stormwater runoff.

1. Pollution of our waters harming humans, fish and wildlife.

• Less than half of all salmon and steelhead stocks in Puget Sound are considered healthy.
  
• Thousands of acres of shellfish-growing beaches have been closed.
  
• Drinking water and swimming beaches have been contaminated.
  
• 57% of lowland streams assessed in Puget Sound area had high fecal coliform bacteria counts.

2. Unnatural channeling of rainfall.

• Rapid rush of stormwater entering streams destroys fish and wildlife habitat.
  
• Increased development brings a lot more pavement, preventing water from recharging aquifers. (One acre parking lot creates 27,000 gallons of untreated runoff into storm drains).
  
• Homes and businesses downstream from developed land can suffer from erosion and flooding.
  
• Intense rushes of stormwater can overwhelm streams and wetlands, often destroying habitat for fish and wildlife; impervious surfaces in developed areas can create water shortages by preventing rainfall from soaking into the ground to replenish groundwater
  

How You Can Help To Keep Water Clean
And Safe

• Never pour anything down storm drains, because water mixed with contaminants flows directly into the nearest stream or the Sound, untreated.

• Use phosphate-free, biodegradable soap on the car, and use less of it. Some detergents are extremely harmful to fish and other aquatic life.

• Wash your car on the grass for filtration, never on the street or driveway. This keeps suds out of storm drains, and out of the Sound. After washing, pour the bucket of dirty water onto grass, or flush it down the toilet. Use a commercial facility whenever possible.

• Consider using a car wash that separates the oil and water.

• Sweep driveways and walkways instead of hosing or pressure washing the debris into storm drains or the street.

• Keep your car and boat engines tuned up, and fix all leaks. Gasoline, oil, and other automotive products add many pollutants to our waters.

• When working on your car, be sure to soak up, dig up, or clean up any oil spills by using dry absorbent materials, not water.

• Properly dispose of paints, pesticides, and other household chemicals, and recycle your motor oil. Call your local Public Works department for locations. In Kitsap County, call the Moderate Risk Waste Facility for information (800-825-4940). www.kitsapgov.com/sw/modwaste.htm.

• Carpool, walk, bike or take the bus some days, reducing your number of car trips. This would be the biggest contribution you could make towards cleaner water and air!
  

Now Is the Time To Conserve Water
“When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.”

Ben Franklin 1746         

2003 was a dry year, and so far, 2004 is even drier! We in the west have not had enough rain, so levels are down in our aquifers and reservoirs, while people are watering their lawns 6 weeks earlier than usual. With increased populations and more development paving over the “sponge”, our aquifers are not getting recharged as they need to. So, it’s more important than ever that we reduce our use, so we have enough water to make it through the summer and beyond. It’s wise to remember that only 2% of all the worlds’ water is drinkable, and that with our enclosed water cycle, there is the same amount of water today than there has been on all of the earth for millennia. It’s no wonder water is becoming as precious as gold all over the world.

How You Can Conserve Water At Home

• Check for leaks in toilets by placing a few drops of food coloring into the tank, wait a while, then if you see any color coming down into the bowl, you have a leak.

• Replace older toilets with newer water efficient models that use half the water.

• Turn the faucet off when brushing your teeth, and turn the shower off when shampooing and conditioning hair.

• Try to reduce or replace your grass with native plants that need less water, and ground covers that are drought tolerant. (See Natural Lawn Care section.)

• For the lawns and gardens, water more deeply but less often, which encourages better root growth and stronger plants.

• Consider letting your lawn turn brown during the summer, which only means that the grass is dormant, not dead! It should green up again when autumn rains return.

• Add more native plants to your landscape and use lots of compost, to increase the “sponge” effect of your yard.

• Use permeable paving materials for driveways and walkways.

• Design landscapes with berms and swales to slow down runoff so it will recharge the water table underground.

• Buy a rain barrel to catch rain for garden watering.
  

• Don’t flush or pour harmful chemicals down toilets or drains.
  
• Protect your drain field from compaction by not parking or driving on it.
  
• Don’t use bleach, disinfectants and toilet bowl cleaners, which can kill the beneficial bacteria that break down waste water.
  
• Have your tank pumped out and inspected every 3-5 years by a licensed inspector.

• Always follow manufacturer’s directions for household chemical use and dispose of unwanted chemicals properly.
  
• Do not dump or pour any chemicals on the ground.
  
• Take unwanted chemicals to your local hazardous waste collection site. In Kitsap County, call Moderate Risk Waste Facility for information: 360-337-5777 or go to www.kitsapgov.com/sw

• Keep track of your consumption and take note if fuel is being lost during periods of non-use. Buried fuel storage tanks need to be monitored for leaks. Repair leaks or replace tank if necessary.
  
• Consider replacing older buried home heating fuel tanks. Average life span is about 20 years.
  
• Be careful when filling your tank or dispensing fuel to vehicles, lawn mowers, etc. Let minor gasoline spills evaporate (do not wash them into soil or off driveway as runoff).

What You Can Do in Your Yard

• Conserve by watering less often, but more deeply and slowly, so entire root zones are moistened, and also grow deeper.
  
• Avoid toxic lawn and garden chemicals like pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers because these chemicals can leach into groundwater and contaminate it.
  
• Never spray near ditches or streams, even using natural pesticides.
  
• Use natural, slow release fertilizers for lawn and garden.
  
• Purchase natural pest controls like beneficial nematodes, and natural weed controls, like citrus/vinegar products.
  
• Attract good predatory bugs with the right plants, and attract birds by providing tree cover and food in winter.
  
• Keep grass clippings as free fertilizer, and keep it out of ravines and waterways. Never dump it into the Puget Sound! It depletes oxygen in the water.
  
• Never dump hazardous garden chemicals down sinks, storm drains gutters or into ditches. They can pollute waterways, and “upset” sewage treatment plants as well as septic tanks. Dispose of them at the Kitsap County Moderate Risk Waste Facility (800-825-4940).

  For more information on what you can do in your yard, see Natural Lawn Care section.

• Scoop up and dispose of cat and dog waste frequently. Double bag it and put it in your garbage.
  
• If you are on a septic system, never flush pet waste down the toilet, especially not cat litter.
  
• Keep your dog on a leash, especially near waterways.
  
• Neuter you pets to reduce the amount of feral and stray animals.
  
• Never hose down any pet waste into storm drains.
  
• Reduce the problem of waterfowl waste on the ground. Don’t feed geese and ducks!
  
• Build a fence along streams to prevent livestock from getting near water and polluting it with their wastes. Fencing also protects the plants along the bank from trampling.

Streamside Living

The U.S. Geological Survey found that more than 95% of rivers and stream samples contained at least one pesticide/herbicide. Over half the streams sampled in agricultural or urban contained five or more pesticides/herbicides. Out of 35 pesticides detected in five major watersheds in the western United States, 16 were above levels harmful to aquatic life. These facts show us that there is very real risk to salmon survival from commonly used lawn and garden chemicals. Living by a stream poses a unique opportunity for stewardship. Pay special attention to what could be running off your yard, and from your driveway, like motor oil, antifreeze, and detergents. Also, remember that salmon and other aquatic life prefer shade along their streams, so try not to “tidy up” too much along the banks. If you are building next to a stream, it would help preserve the habitat best, if you leave a little more then the buffer that’s required.

What You Can Do:

• Slow down runoff from your roof and driveway so it does not have easy access to the stream or wetland. Channel runoff water onto grass, gravel, or another permeable surface.
  
• Landscape with drought tolerant and native vegetation that will attract wildlife, and if possible, collaborate with your neighborhood to create vegetated corridors for wildlife to travel. Also, aerate lawns since most do become impermeable surfaces, compacted soil and thatch.
  
• Use natural, organic, slow release fertilizers or compost, and never apply pesticides/herbicides that are harmful to salmon and other marine life. (weed and feed-type products are very harmful to the environment, and even Roundup is harmful to aquatic life).
  
• Re-vegetate riparian areas along streams with native woody plants especially if the banks have been “cleaned up” of important shade giving brush.
  
• Maintain the maximum buffer width from sensitive streams, and wetlands when building. The more habitats you preserve, the more pleasant it will be to live there, for you and the wildlife.
  
• Consider joining local volunteer programs protecting waterways like our local Watershed Council, People for Puget Sound, River Watchers, Sound Keepers, or Stream Teams, which improve salmon streams and riparian areas.

Living By the Shore

1. Shorelines hardened with bulkheads accelerate erosion, eliminate filtering ability and degrade fish habitat.
2. Rearrangement or removal of natural debris like logs, leaves your shoreline vulnerable to erosion.
3. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides harm water quality, human health, and are deadly for fish and other wildlife.
4. Cleared “manicured” lots lack shade and privacy. Loss of native plants lead to more erosion, runoff, and more work for you!
5. Harmful household chemicals and cleaners damage septic systems and degrade water quality.
6. Malfunctioning septic systems and improper waste disposal degrade water quality and lead to beach closures for shellfish and swimming.
7. Runoff flows over solid surfaces, accelerating erosion; excess silt degrades habitat for fish and other aquatic life.
8. Inappropriate beach access, like steep stairs, destabilizes banks, and leads to more erosion.
9. Private docks, piers, and boat ramps destroy eelgrass beds and habitat for fish and other wildlife.
10. Poorly maintained engines leak oil and other petroleum products, and waste
    25-40% of fuel. With boat maintenance, the main thing is not to let any cleaning products, paints, or solvents go overboard, even if it’s labeled biodegradable. If any soapsuds or painting debris can be seen around your boat, you could be cited!

In Harmony with the Shoreline

1. Work with an expert to soften your shoreline; improve erosion protection with native shrubs, trees, grasses and beach logs.
2. Resist the urge to “tidy up” the beach; let organic debris like beach logs and fallen trees act as a natural seawall.
3. Landscape with low maintenance native plants. Mow lawns high using a mulching mower that recycles the clippings into free fertilizer.
4. Prune branches off trees for views, rather than cutting them down. Plant native trees and shrubs to reduce erosion and absorb runoff.
5. Use environmentally friendly products and cleaners, or make your own alternatives like baking soda and vinegar (as mentioned above).
6. Repair and maintain your septic system (consult an expert).
7. Replace solid surfaces with porous materials. Redirect gutter runoff into porous or vegetated areas, away from shore.
8. Share beach access with neighbors, maintaining a narrow winding trail. Avoid accessing steep banks.
9. Use public docks and boat launches where possible; consider replacing your dock with a low impact private access option (e.g. a mooring buoy).
10. Use a well-maintained electric or push mower, mow high, leave clippings on the lawn, water deeply but infrequently, and accept some mowable weeds as part of the lawn. Use a four or two stroke boat motor that meets or betters EPA 2006 guidelines.

Waterfront home, showing that native vegetation on shorelines doesn’t take away your view, and how functional, attractive, and fish friendly it is without a bulkhead!

A Word to Boaters

• Have absorbent sponges, pads, diapers or rags available in case of a spill.
• Hang a tarp between the boat and the dock to catch spills or sanding debris.
• Work with only small cans of paint or varnish, never having a gallon open.
• For fueling, don’t top off tanks; check the engine, filters, and fuel tanks for leaks.
• Keep engine in top shape, and have all the bolts tight.
• Put absorbent pads and pillows under the fuel tank in the bilge, and also place a pan under the engine to catch fuel leaks.
• Throw away oil soaked pads by wrapping them in newspaper, then in plastic bags, and placing in a garbage can.
  

For More Information On:

Water Quality Testing--- Bremerton-Kitsap County Health District
www.wa.gov/kitsaphealth 360-337-5285

Kitsap County Surface and Storm Water Management (SSWM)
www.wa.gov/kitsap/departments/pubworks/sswm.html

Street Design to Reducing Runoff
www.ci.seattle.wa.us/util/SEAstreets/drainage.htm

Kitsap Moderate Risk Waste Facility
www.kitsapgov.com/sw (360) 337-5777 800-825-4940

Bainbridge Watershed Council, -Jeanne Huber, (President) (206)-780-1246

People for Puget Sound
www.pugetsound.org (206) 382-7006

Puget Soundkeeper Alliance
www.pugetsoundkeeper.org (206) 297-7002

Waterkeeper Alliance
www.waterkeeper.org

This project is funded by the City of Bainbridge Island and by Washington State Department of Ecology’s Public Participation Grant.