Flushing Your Lake's Future?
WISCONSIN LAKES-PUB-FM-800 99Rev.

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Flushing Your Lake's Future?

The simple flush of a toilet or rush down a gutter can dump something into our lakes. Storm sewers are not safe disposal sitesþwater running into the sewers flushes oil, grease, garbage, animal and yard waste, chemicals, pesticides, toxic metals, salts, and sediments directly into the lake. Overburdened septic systems leak nutrient-rich pollutants into lakes, too.

Take notice of your wastes - what they are, where they're going, and how to safely dispose of them:

• Treat household cleaners, solvents and pesticides as hazardous waste. Don't dump these toxins into the storm sewer- keep abreast of changing disposal practices and learn to discard contaminants properly!
• Recycle motor oil and other acceptable automotive wastes
• Encourage local street sweeping
• Reduce or eliminate pesticide use on your lawn and garden
• Pick up animal waste and bag for pick-up and proper disposal
• Compost yard waste for your garden
• Maintain septic systems (pump regularly); make sure all gray water drains to your septic system and never dump wastewater directly into the lake
• Be Water Wise: conserve water and less wastewater will reach the lakes

Produced by: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Watershed Management
More information on this topic: James Vennie, Limnologist, (608)266-2212

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