University of Wisconsin - Extension

Spring is definitely in the air, and many of us will be outdoors tending to our yards and gardens. Are you aware that routine outdoor activities may end up polluting drinking water? Safe drinking water is everyone's responsibility, so learn how to take actions to protect this vital resource.

On average, homeowners use ten times more pesticides and fertilizers per acre than farmers. Excess fertilizer and pesticides may find their way into water supplies. These chemicals may be carried by runoff into sewers that run directly into lakes and rivers. Nitrates from fertilizer can seep into groundwater, posing a threat to infants and pregnant women who drink the water. Groundwater tests also have detected significant levels of pesticides such as diazinon that are commonly applied to lawns, gardens, and landscaped areas.

By using more than you need, you not only waste money but you may actually kill your lawn and other ground cover that keeps your soil from eroding. When soil leaves your property, it becomes a pollutant that is carried by sewers into waterways.

Ask yourself these questions to see if you are doing your part to protect everyone's drinking water.

• If you use fertilizer, has it been longer than 3 years since you had your soil tested for nutrients?
• Do you ever use pesticides without reading the label or applying more than is recommended?
• On your property, are there bare spots of soil or sparsely planted areas, particularly on slopes, where soil can runoff?
• Are lawn and garden chemicals stored outside exposed to rain or other condition that could damage containers?

If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, you are ready to learn about actions to avoid problems. Even if you answered "no" to each question, you may still have room for improvement. Do you compost kitchen waste to create your own fertilizer?

What can you do?

Home*A*Syst can help you take action. Based on the concept of a home energy audit, Home*A*Syst is a tool that non-experts can use to identify a range of environmental and health risks in and around the home. In addition to lawn and garden care, Home*A*Syst enables you to reduce a range of risks from activities outside the home-septic system management, handling household hazardous products and private well maintenance- and inside the home- unhealthy indoor air, and lead exposure in water pipes and paint.

By using Home*A*Syst, you can develop a plan filled with simple and low-cost actions that can go a long way in preventing problems. Armed with information, you can take steps to transform your house into a healthy home, where family health is safeguarded and property value is protected.

For more information about Home*A*Syst, visit http://www.uwex.edu/homeasyst/.