Water Quality: What Not to Do
The ongoing threats to drinking water quality in Maryland have been a concern for many years. With issues such as improper industrial wastewater disposal, sewage leaks, and unfiltered stormwater merging with municipal water sources, many are left wondering what they can do to help keep the state’s water reserves fit for human consumption and maintain water quality.
There are certain steps every one of us can take to protect the quality of water flowing from household taps.
Don’t Dump Waste Products in Street Grates
Many people are not aware of this, but when you dump liquid waste products – such as carpet cleaners, automobile waste, or construction waste – in a street grate, they do not go to a water treatment plant. Instead, this toxic waste is discharged into rivers, lakes, groundwater reserves, or the sea, polluting the environment and endangering aquatic and marine life.
Therefore, always make sure you take liquid waste products to a proper facility where they will undergo an environmentally safe disposal process. Doing otherwise is not just irresponsible but also illegal.
Don’t Flush Medicines Down the Drain
When you flush old, unused medicines down the drain, they go to a wastewater treatment system, but most water treatment plants are not equipped to handle the load of biochemical compounds found in many prescription drugs. This means that medicines discarded in the toilet pollute water sources such as streams and lakes, and eventually end up in our drinking water.
Prescription drugs such as antidepressants and hormonal pills contain endocrine-disrupting compounds, which interfere with the normal growth and reproduction of fish, frogs, and other aquatic species.
Instead of dumping old medicines down the drain, safely bag the container and throw it in the trash, or, better yet, check if your county offers a drug take-back program for environmentally friendly disposal.
Don’t Overuse Pesticides and Fertilizers
Pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers contain hazardous compounds that seep through the soil and reach groundwater sources, contaminating them and causing both environmental pollution and deterioration of water quality.
Fertilizers cause an excess of nitrogen in water sources, resulting in overgrowth of algae and disruption to aquatic species. Pesticides such as DDT are non-biodegradable and fat-soluble, which means they travel through the food chain to be eventually consumed by humans.
While using these dangerous chemicals is not illegal, each one of us can exercise personal responsibility by opting for more gentle and organic fertilizers. We can choose to use natural alternatives to chemical pesticides, even opting for sustainable landscaping options that do not require heavy maintenance like lawns.
Don’t Let Chemicals or Cleaners Spill
Keep containers of chemicals and cleaners secure to prevent spilling, for example, during transportation. When you dispense hazardous chemicals (such as spraying herbicide or pesticide), make sure they don’t reach any street grates or drainage areas.
When doing any automobile or painting outside, spread protective surfaces such as tarps to catch any chemical residue and dispose of it later at an appropriate facility.
Don’t Go Heavy On Dangerous Household Chemicals
Many cleaning products, such as dish detergent, contain phosphates and other dangerous chemicals. Phosphates cause algae bloom, which reduces oxygen in water sources and kills fish and other aquatic species.
As consumers, we have the power to choose household chemicals and cleaning products that contain reduced amounts of hazardous chemicals or use environmentally friendly alternatives. There are now many non-toxic and biodegradable cleaners and phosphate-free dish detergents on the market.
Cutting down on the amount of cleaner and using just enough to do the job is another step in reducing water pollution – and it saves money, too.
Make Sure You Drink Clean, Safe Water
The vulnerability of our drinking water sources makes many people rightfully concerned. With an array of dangerous substances jeopardizing drinking water quality, using tap water for drinking or cooking might no longer feel like a safe choice.
While many people turn to bottled water, this is inconvenient and expensive. Moreover, bottled water use doesn’t protect from possible exposure to contaminated water during bathing.
To make sure the water flowing out of your tap is always clean and safe, you might opt for installing a household water filtration system.
With the Hague WaterMax® BEQ water filtration system, you will no longer need to worry about the quality of the water you drink or use for cooking and showers, or issues such as sediment, the taste of chlorine, or hard water.
We are happy to offer all our new customers a free onsite water test. In addition, we now offer our clients a high-quality, reliable, and contact-less water quality test kit for $200. After you receive the test kit by mail, a water sample is mailed to the lab, and results are sent directly back to you.
Our Maryland-based experts will be happy to answer your call at (410) 757-2992 and provide a free consultation on water filtration options for your household.
