Acton Wakefield Watersheds Alliance

awwaadmin April 25th, 2008

Thanks to Jeff Brown of Wilson Lake for sharing this great piece about protecting the waters of the AWWA region.  While Jeff is aiming this at Wilson Lake his ideas apply to all the lakes, ponds and streams of our region. Let’s all work together to keep our treasures clean and healthy.  Thanks Jeff!

Cleaner Water

We are fortunate that Wilson Lake is clear and clean. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the water will remain unpolluted. There are several things we can all do to keep our lakes and water supplies clean. Many of these measures are not new ideas. Please join in the effort to protect our water. The Maine DEP website is a great resource, http://www.maine.gov/dep .

*Prevent run-off from your yard into nearby lakes and rivers. The Acton Wakefield Watersheds Alliance can help, 603-473-2500, www.AWwatersheds.org . Free consultations are available.

*Don’t use phosphate fertilizer for your lawn. Phosphate-free products are available and their use will reduce algae and keep the oxygen in our lakes. Abstaining from weed killers and insecticides will keep these chemicals out of our lakes and wells.

*Boaters must take care with gas and oil in and near the water. Unwanted petrol can be disposed of at the local gas station or the transfer station.

*Maintain your septic system. Remove trees and shrubs from your leach field. Have your tank cleaned every 3 to 5 years. For more information, see the Maine DEP Bulletin #7119-E, http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/docgw/shp4.pdf .

*Change your household cleaners. Do not use products with phosphates, bleaches or optical brighteners. Drain cleaners and toilet bowl cleaners will damage your septic system before they pollute our water. A new line of earth-friendly products is available to replace your dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent, toilet bowl cleaner and general cleaners. These products are phosphate-free and biodegradable. Although they may cost more than older store-bought cleaners, they avoid polluting our lake (priceless!).

Brands to look for include Clorox Greenworks, Mrs. Meyers, Ecover, BioPac, Citrasolv, and Seventh Generation. Many of these products are available at the One Earth store on 109 in Shapleigh. Hannafords in Sanford and Lovell Lake Food Center in Sanbornville, NH also sell several of these products.

Alternatively, some inexpensive household products can be used safely. See Maine DEP Bulletin #7119-D,  http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/docgw/shp3.pdf for some suggestions. This is the Natural Resources Council of Maine web site which offers a guide to safe alternatives: http://www.nrcm.org/publication_housekeeping.asp . Here are a few of their suggestions:

Toilet Cleaner: Sprinkle with baking soda or Borax, pour a little vinegar on toilet brush & scrub.

Drain Opener: Pour ½ cup baking soda into drain, follow with two cups boiling water. Or, pour ½ cup baking soda into drain then add a cup of vinegar. After it fizzes rinse with a mixture of boiling water and salt. Repeat if necessary.

What else can you do? Share this with your neighbors. Our efforts will only succeed if we all participate.