You Can Help

You Can Help Protect Our Rivers

How do pollutants enter our rivers? In a combined sewer area pollution may come from:

When we work together to reduce the amount of water and pollutants entering these systems, we help protect our water environment.

A few simple steps can make a difference:

At Home

Only buy the household chemicals that you need for the job and choose non-toxic alternatives when you can.
Never pour household chemicals down a drain, flush them down the toilet, or empty them into a storm drain.
Get your on-line household hazardous waste guide to help you dispose of household chemicals in environmentally friendly ways. The University of Missouri Outreach & Extension Division provides extensive household hazardous waste information.
Recycle newspapers, glass, plastic bags and other materials.
Pre-cycle by choosing products with less packaging to throw away.

In Your Yard

Recycle yard waste or use it to make compost. Raking leaves and grass into streets allows yard waste to wash into storm sewers, causing blockages and possibly street flooding.
Use fertilizers and pesticides wisely and only buy what you need.
Maintain your grass at a little higher level this summer. It will reduce runoff from your lawn.
Leave grass clippings on the lawn to return nutrients to the soil.
Use compost to hold moisture in the soil and reduce your plant watering.
Choose native plants that require less fertilizer and pesticides.