A watershed is an area of land that drains into a common body of water such as a stream, lake or wetland. Everyone in the world lives in a watershed. What we do on the land has a direct effect on the quality of our waterways.

Water quality is a top environmental concern for Americans. Since the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, point-source pollution from industrial areas and sewage treatment plants has been greatly reduced. Today, increasing water quality problems are from non-point sources of pollution and stormwater discharges.

We all contribute to the problem, and we are all capable of doing something about it. Water that falls on our homes, lawns, farms and gardens picks up contaminants, including herbicides, pesticides, fertilizer and petroleum products. Hard, impervious surfaces such as rooftops, driveways, sidewalks and roads cause flash flows of water in our stream channels during periods of rain and lower flows during dry months.

Sewage drains are completely different from stormwater drains. Sewage drains pump waste water to the sewage treatment plant where many contaminants can be removed before release into waterways. However, stormwater drains are simply pipes that release water directly into your watershed. Most people don’t realize that they are doing harm by pouring substances down the drain, but it’s true—these substances empty directly into your local stream or river WITHOUT ANY TREATMENT.