This page highlights simple things we all can do to help protect our shared water resources. For more information visit www.mnwaterconnection.com.

Top Ten Water Protection Tips

1. Adopt A Storm Drain
Keep leaves, grass clippings and other debris off of the street in front of your house where they can be washed into storm drains.

2. Keep On Sweepin' On
When mowing the yard, do not wash the lawn mower near the storm drain as the grass clippings may enter the storm drain, which will enter in our rivers, lakes, and streams.

3. Drip Drop - Where Does It Stop?
You can help by increasing the number of drops that soak into the ground by using a rain barrel and directing downspouts onto your lawn or rain gardens.

4. Is It A Lake Or Is It A Stormwater Pond?
Storm water ponds are manmade designed to improve water quality and control flooding. Ponds within housing and commercial developments are often stormwater ponds. They can have high level of road runoff and pesticides so they are not meant for swimming since they can be dangerous.

5.  Illicit Discharge
Remember, only rain down the storm drain! Do not dispose of yard waste, motor oil, or pet waste down the storm drain.

6. Wrap, Label And Freeze!

Please dispose of the fish remnants through your garbage service.  Wrap the remnants, label, and put in the freezer until garbage day.

7. Do Your Doodie!

As a dog owner, do your duty and scoop up their waste and dispose of it in your trash so it does not get washed down the storm drain, which will enter our rivers, lakes and streams.

8. Don't Let It Run!
Do your part by fixing leaky faucets, taking shorter showers, only wash full loads of laundry and water your lawn and garden with good sense. The best time to water your lawn is between 6am-10am & 6pm-10pm.

9. Be Water Pollution Free - Contact The SWCD
Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is looking for property owners within Stearns Co. that are interested in completing a rain garden, native buffer, or shoreline restoration project. For more information call (320)251-7800, Ext. 3.

10. Plant A Tree

Planting a tree is one of the simplest things you can do to help reduce water pollution in your neighborhood.