When
something goes down a drain, it may seem like it disappears, but it doesn’t.
All drains lead somewhere. There is no
such thing as going “away.” Yes, you may flush your waste, you may watch as the
unwanted material swirls down the drain but really, all of that material ends
up somewhere. The where
depends on the locations of the drain.
Do you have
an on-site septic system in your back yard?
The water from that system filters through the soil in the drainfield
and helps replenish the groundwater system.
Remember where your drinking water comes from? For most people in our county, it’s groundwater.
If your
house’s drain is connected to LOTT
Clean Water Alliance, the public sewer utility in Thurston County, then the
waste ends up at LOTT for treatment. There, the sewage is treated, the water is
reclaimed and it goes into Puget Sound or into the reclaimed water system.
Most storm
drains go directly into a body of water without treatment and only a few direct
water to a treatment facility.
It is up to
all of us to help protect our drinking water, our beautiful lakes, rivers,
streams and Puget Sound. Be careful about what goes down the drain and what
runs off of your yard, driveway, and rooftop. These five tips can help!
1. Reduce or
eliminate your use of toxic
products – choose safe cleaners, art supplies, detergents and more.
2. Be aware of
what goes into
the toilet. Human waste and toilet
paper are the only things that should be flushed, ever. This means NO wipes,
feminine products, condoms, medications, undigested food, cotton swabs, etc.
3. Choose safe
garden products – invest in organic
fertilizers, weed tools, bird baths, mulch, and less hazardous garden products. What
goes on the ground can end up in the ground or in the nearby surface water that
our kids and pets love to splash in.
4. Dispose of
used motor oil at one of the 33 locations
that accept it for FREE.
5. Dry out
latex paint and throw it in your trash. Unwanted oil based paints,
solvents, and other unwanted household hazardous materials go to HazoHouse
for free, safe disposal.
Remember
that there is no such thing as going down a drain and “away.” It all goes
somewhere and that somewhere could be anyone’s back yard. We are all connected
and we are all responsible for protecting this beautiful place that we are
lucky to call home.
