'VilA'" YOU (~ANI)O!
Nonpoit')t source pollution sho,uld be a
concern of every M.ichig'an reside.nt. Our
tlI(~IIU.iiN'SNONPOIN'I'
~O(JR(~~IIIlO(j·ll/it.
individual actions do have a significant
Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality, Surface Water Quality Division,
impact on water quality. You can start
Nonpoint Source staff are available to
today to be a pa rt of the soljJtion .to
nOhpoirit source: pollution. Here-are eome
'pollution and what can be done to protect
thing5 you can do to help:
our water resources, contact
-Apply the proper amount of fertilizer. A soil
test will tell you if your lawn needs fertilizer.
COl1tac't y.our County Extension Agent for
additional inferrnatton.
following locations:
-Dcm't apply fertilizer at times when it might be
washed away by rain.
-Apply pesticides o'nly when necessary.al'ld
according to the instructions on the label.
-Recycle grass clippirigs and leaves by mulching
or composting,
-Dispose of used motor oil and antifreeze ~,t a
recycl.!ng depository. Check with local service
stations for locations of such facilities.
help. Tolearn more about nonpoint source
Source staff
N:QNPOINT
a Nonpoint
member at one of the
50U:RCE POLLUTION':
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Bay City Di5trict Office
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THE <50LUTIO~
(517) 684-9141
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Caaillac District Office
B'EGIN5~~lITFf,
'YOlJ
(616) 775-9727
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Grana Rapids Di5tric.t Office
(616) 456-5071
.Jackeen District Office
(517) 78.0-7900
Lansing Nonpoint Source Unit
(517) 373-2867
-Have your septic system inspected and
pu~ped out eve~ three to five years,
-Dir:ect roof runoff into a grassed a,rea. Roof
dra,ins should not be connected to a sanitary or
storm sewer sysiem,
-Seed grass, install sod or plant ground cover
to reduce 'soil erosion,
-If you notice·soilerosion from a construction
site, contact the local governing agel1cy
responsible for erosion and sediment control.
This is usually the county or township.
-Fence livestock to prevent acoess to streams.
Sta'bilize stream banke with vegetation.
-Install buffer strips adjacent to all waterways.
-BE,ACTIVEl .Join a civic or environmental group
and:let others know how you feel. 5P~EAD THE
WORD!!
Livonia District Office
(313) 953-0241
Marquette District Office
(906) 228-6561
Plainwell District Office
(616) 685-9886
Roeccm mon District Office
(517) 275-5151
5hiawae5ee District Office
(517) 625-4600
Funding for this publication was provided by
the Environmental Assistance Division,
Michigan Department of Environmental Qua'lity.
AUTHORITY: P;\ 451 OF 1994
TOTALCOST:$218.81
TOTALCOPIES:5,000'
COST EACH: $.043
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENTOF ENVIRON~ENTALQUALITY
DE€)"
eee
$urface Water Quality Division
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
-Fecal coliform
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1I0"r I)OI~SJ'I'AI~I~E(~rl'
'I''IIE
WA'I'EIl?
WlIl"I' ,IS NONI)()(N'I' SOIJlU~I~'
l)t)f~I~IJ'I'ION?
-Nutrients from improperly maintained septic
,tanks and Over application of fertilizer can
"Ii
When it rains or the, snow melts water runs
cause algae blooms andother
off the land into.our streams,
growth., The overgrowth of algae and aquatic
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rivers, inland
lakes and the Great Lakes. As the water
moves across varloue landscapes., such as
plowedag,ricultural
residential
particles,
fields, city streets
and
backyards, it picks up soil
fertilizers,
pesticides,
animal
waetee, r~ad salt, motor oil and other land
borne pollutants.
This type of pollutfon from
diffuse sources is called non point source
pollution.
Nonpoint source pollution
is also caused by
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nuisance plant
plants can limit boating and other,
water recreation
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activities.
-qil, grease
.
estic'd' , ,paints a,nd
I es ca
b
P and oth n e toxic to '
fish
er aqu '
, -Soil that l
attc life.
" hat IS carried
bottom of the Wind and 'rain settl all' the I.nd
e stream
.
es to the
up the gravel a
' nver, or lake
and oth
nd other habit t
and covers
er aquatic IWe,
a needed by fiSh
bacteria and
other patho~ens
from
livestock man ure, pet wastes
ar:1dimproperly
septic systerrs
maintained
can cause the
water to become unsafe for drinking, swi,mming,
boating, and other water recreational
activities.
-Leaves a nd other deb,ris
dumped in the water will
decompose over time.
The decomposition
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process uses up
o~ygen in the water --
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the same oxygen,
needed by fteh and other
aquatic
life.
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\V1I£\\F, DO£S ~tl~"PO\~'fSt)\J\\C£ "Ptl",.\J'tlt)'N
wind, which, like rain, can pick up soil particles
and ,deposit them in our 'lakes and streams.'
Nonpoint source pollutants
include:
Ctlll£
', ",."polnt 50u",e6 Inolu,!e,
In UrvanF\\Oll'l
ana ~6iciential {>.rea6•
-nutri¢inte; (phoephorue and nitrogen) in
fertilizere;
,
opeDplewhO cwer "PVI::iVesVticles an" feno,lr"ers
-pee;ticidee;, oil, paint and other
houeehold
hazardoue
.oil
a"a ~r."se
fro'"p"i"t"
p"r\:i"0
loW oj;~er sutst"nGes
opeople
who "u"'V
oil a""
wae;tee;
"own storm ,;Ir"i"S
-e;oil
a
osoil fro'" alleys a"'" ro '" "itch",
-fecal coliform bacteria and
other pathogene;
_soi\ from constructiOn siteS
Just one of these pollutants
can. have a significant
impac:t
on our lakes and streams.
For
example, one quart of used
motor, oil can contaminate
upto two
million gallons of water. Collectively, these
pollutants
~
opeor whO i",properl~"iSpose of leav,;s ""a 0"'sS
lucie
le
u
In Rural {>.re."" ",on point ,50 ",~6 Inc
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olmpro~erl~",.i"tai"e" septiC ~a,,\:s
,
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osoi: erosion fro'" far'" fielas fa liveS~G\:tr,,"'V\in0 we stre"m "a"\:S
WG\:,,, t,he st."""'"
"'" croYJ\ana""rn,,~r"S or l",es
can result in wide-spread water
quality.problems.
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