Citizens
Public Education and Outreach
Phase II MS4 - Stormwater
Minimum Control Measure 1
MS4 Coordinators will find the resources provided on this webpage useful for targeting citizens in their public outreach strategies to meet their MCM 1 Public Education and Outreach goals. These resources will also be useful to the average citizen for reducing pollution in stormwater runoff.
Car Care
Household Hazardous Waste
Lawn & Garden Care
Pet Waste
Rain Gardens
Septic System Care
General Citizen Resources
10 simple steps that can have an impact: 1. Don't dump ANYTHING down storm drains. Oils, chemicals, soaps, etc. pollute our streams and lakes. 2. Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly and always follow label instructions. 3. Put litter in its place (trash cans or recycling bins). 4. Pick up after your pet. 5. Sweep driveways (don't spray wash). 6. Collect yard waste and keep it out of storm drains. Compost! Even grass clippings and excess leaves don't belong in our streams and rivers. 7. Use a commercial car wash (they treat and recycle wash water) or wash vehicles on grassy areas. 8. Recycle used motor oil. 9. Check your car for leaks (and fix them). 10. Have your septic tank inspected every 3 - 5 years. |
Car Care
- Car Care for Cleaner Water
Explains how cars contribute to water pollution and suggests 10 steps to minimize the impacts of cars on our waters.
Source: University of Wisconsin Extension (website includes numerous fact sheets)
- Oil and Water Don’t Mix customizable
Brochure discusses the facts about used oil and what we can do to avoid pollution.
Source: MidAmerica Regional Council (website includes numerous brochures and fact sheets, including Spanish translations)
- Recycling Used Oil
This fact sheet provides basic information about why used oil should be recycled and how to recycle used oil.
Source: University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
- When Your Car’s Leaking Oil on the Street
Poster illustrating that motor oil from a car eventually ends up in a water body.
Source: Puget Sound Action Team
- When You’re Washing the Car in the Driveway
Poster illustrating that detergents from washing the car eventually end up in a water body.
Source: Puget Sound Action Team
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- Got Paint?
Print ad using a catchy photograph and verbiage.
Source: Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program
- Household Products Management Wheel
Offers practical information and tips for managing 36 commonly used household chemical products—from purchase to recycling and disposal.
Source: Order from EHS Publishing, LLC
- Managing Your Household Chemicals customizable
Fact sheet on common household chemicals; how to use, store and dispose of; directions to make your own cleaners
Source: University of Connecticut NEMO program (website includes numerous fact sheets)
- Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products webcast
This webcast introduces the issue of how the use, and improper disposal, of medications and personal care products by the public is presenting a serious threat to the quality and safety of public water supplies across the country. This website also offers supporting material to the webcast, including PowerPoint slides and web links.
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- Aaron’s Rain Barrels
Website for ordering a variety of rain barrels.
- Building a Rain Barrel
This website provides you with all the information you need to construct and install your own rain barrel.
- Conservation Landscaping for Water Quality
Fact sheet promoting landscape management techniques and philosophies that work with nature to reduce pollution and encourage wildlife habitat.
Source: University of Connecticut NEMO program (website includes numerous fact sheets)
- Fertilize Sparingly and Caringly customizable
Tip card that makes the connection between lawn fertilizer, storm drains and local streams and rivers. Includes simple steps to reduce the use of fertilizer.
Source: Southeast Michigan Council of Governments
- Four Seasons of Water Quality Protection customizable
By recognizing how each home landscape is connected to the environment as a whole and managing the landscape with this connection in mind, everyone can make a contribution to protecting and restoring all natural resources, especially local water quality.
Source: University of Connecticut NEMO program (website includes numerous fact sheets)
- Green Practices to Manage Stormwater Runoff
This EPA site includes a 9 mintue video that showcases green techniques such as rain gardens, rain barrels and green roofs that help manage stormwater runoff in a more sustainable manner.
- Healthy Landscapes--Rain Barrels
This website provides the basics about rain barrels, as well as, a link to the brochure Safe Use of Rain Barrel Water in the Vegetable Garden.
- Lawn Care Audit
Take a simple survey to see where you stand on taking care of your lawn in the best ways possible while preserving the water and ecological quality in your area.
Source: Bluegrass Pride
- Wild Ones—Native Plants, Natural Landscapes
Wild Ones promotes the establishment of native plant communities around homes and businesses, using ecologically sound practices.
The following is a series of water quality fact sheets covering many lawn care practices:
- Lawn and Garden Fertilizers customizable
Describes how improper fertilizer applications can degrade water quality and offers suggestions for proper fertilizer use. 4 pages
- Lawn and Garden Pesticides customizable
Describes non-chemical pest control methods and offers tips for environmentally sound pesticide applications. 4 pages
- Lawn Watering
Offers ways to save water while producing healthy, attractive lawns. 4 pages
- Managing Leaves and Yard Trimmings
Discusses environmentally sound and practical methods, short of formal composting, for managing yard "wastes." 12 pages
- Rethinking Yard Care
Discusses issues related to environmentally sound yard care; stresses thinking about environmental consequences rather than convenience. 8 pages
Source for above five documents: University of Wisconsin Extension (website includes numerous fact sheets)
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- Clean Up After Your Pet Tip Card customizable
Tip card (front and back) about good pet care practices and the dangers of pet waste water pollution.
Source: Southeast Michigan Council of Governments
- Doggie Dooley Pet Waste Disposal
The all-plastic Doggie Dooley works like a miniature septic tank, utilizing enzyme and bacteria action to automatically reduce dog waste to a ground absorbing liquid.
Source: Doggie Dooley
- Pet Waste and Water Quality customizable
Why pet waste is a concern, and what you can do about it.
Source: University of Wisconsin Extension (website includes numerous fact sheets)
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- Building A Backyard Rain Garden
Basic instructions for building a rain garden including selecting a site, size, construction, plant selection and maintenance.
Source: North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
- Green Practices to Manage Stormwater Runoff
This EPA site includes a 9 mintue video that showcases green techniques such as rain gardens, rain barrels and green roofs that help manage stormwater runoff in a more sustainable manner.
- A Household Way to Improve Water Quality in Your Community
A basic introduction providing information on how rain gardens help protect water quality, and general step-by-step instructions on how to build a rain garden in your yard.
Source: University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension
- A How To Manual for Homeowners
A detailed manual that covers rain garden sizing and site, construction details and planting and maintenance. Includes 11 conceptual planting designs with plant species lists.
Source: University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension
- Prairie Nursery—Native Plants and Seeds
Catalog of native wildflowers, grasses, seed mixes, plant gardens (including a rain garden) and landscape design.
- Rain Gardens 101
This website from the Groundwater Foundation answers the questions: What is a rain garden? Why is rainwater runoff a problem? What makes a rain garden different from a traditional garden? What types of plants thrive best in a rain garden? Plus many more!
- Rain Garden: A Beautiful Solution (2nd Edition)
A how-to guide for building your own rain garden.
Source: Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (may download from their website above)
- Rain Gardens: A How To Guide
A booklet that contains basic instructions for building a rain garden including how a rain garden works, the benefits, location selection, size determination, shape, plant selection and layout, construction and maintenance.
Source: Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities (may purchase from source)
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- Caring for Your Septic System
A fact sheet that provides overall septic system operations, care and maintenance of the system and an owner’s record sheet to track preventative maintenance of the system.
Source: University of Connecticut NEMO program (website includes numerous fact sheets)
- A Homeowner’s Guide to Septic Systems customizable
A comprehensive booklet about septic system basics, care and maintenance.
Source: U.S. EPA
- Homeowner Septic System Check List customizable
This worksheet allows homeowners to keep track of septic system inspections and maintenance.
- Septic System Public Service Announcements
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- Brown Water, Green Weeds
This worksheet includes information about the effects of runoff pollution on streams and wildlife. Sediments and nutrients cause many of the problems we see in streams and lakes.
Source: University of Wisconsin Extension (website includes numerous fact sheets)
- Earth 911 Website
Website provides a variety of environmental information about water, recycling, yard and grass clippings, paint and solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, pet waste, used motor oil and oil filters and more. - Help Keep Pollution Out of Storm Drains customizable
This newspaper ad promotes the idea of “only rain in the drain” to average citizens. It includes tips on how to prevent pollutants from entering rivers and lakes.
Source: Southeast Michigan Council of Governments
- Kentucky Division of Water
Growth Readiness: 25-minute PowerPoint, downloadable presentation for homeowners
- Living Along a Kentucky Stream
This booklet introduces landowners to the concept of stream stewardship. It includes six simple solutions to help preserve or improve stream health.
Source: University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
- Make Your Home the Solution to Stormwater Pollution customizable
This short brochure is targeted directly to homeowners and provides tips on a wide variety of simple things that homeowner's can do to prevent stormwater pollution.
Source: U.S. EPA EPA 833-B-03-003
- Nonpoint Source Pollution
This fact sheet introduces citizens to the concept of nonpoint source pollution and basic ways to reduce nonpoint source pollution.
Source: University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
- Practical BMP’s for Watersheds
This publication contains ten sections that were written by various professionals to increase awareness and encourage adoption of Best Management Practices in a watershed to reduce the potential for polluted water to leave the watershed. Topics include: Managing Household Hazardous Products, Conservation Buffers, Livestock Watering Systems, Agricultural Chemical Use and Storage, Lawn and Garden Tips, Septic Systems, Agriculture Water Quality Plans, Sinkholes and Disposal of Used Oil.
Source: University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
- Storm Sewers—The Rivers Beneath Our Feet
Uses illustrations to show how storm sewers carry pollutants to streams and lakes, and offers suggestions to prevent runoff pollution.
Source: University of Wisconsin Extension (website includes numerous fact sheets)
- Storm Water Management
This publication leads homeowners through an evaluation of their home and property to determine pollution and health risks.
Source: University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
- U.S. EPA
Website with a variety of outreach materials.
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Water Environment Research Foundation
Using Rainwater to Grow Livable Communities
This website is to encourage and facilitate the integration of stormwater BMPs into development projects in your area by providing tools and resources for effective communication and implementation as well as in-depth case studies that examine BMP implementation in several cities across the United States.
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