A Shared Responsibility for Storm Water

Many activities done around the home can pollute storm water. Even simple activities like washing and maintaining your car, disposing of household cleaning and painting products, caring for your lawn, and having a pet can pollute storm water. The good news is that there are things that you, as a resident, can do to keep Portage County waterways clean! Questions? Contact the Portage SWCD.

Photo Ohio Department of Transportation

  1. Less lawn = more life

  2. Rain Barrels and Rain Gardens capture water and filter it before it leaves your yard.

  3. No mow and no-spray zones around waterways will significantly reduce the amount of polluted runoff that makes it into our waterways

  4. Fertilize sparingly and daringly to reduce algal blooms and dead zones

  5. Pick up the pet poo to keep harmful bacteria like E. Coli out of our water.

  6. Avoid over-salting to keep it out of our soils and water

  7. Vehicle Maintenance will keep gasoline and other motor oils out of our water sources.