Perennial Wisdom - Water Quality and You

Sweltering much? Cheers to a refreshing chug of fresh water in the heat of summer! 

According to National Day Calendar, August is National Water Quality Month, and can be an excellent time to focus on protecting freshwater resources, reviewing drinking water safety, and learning about how daily actions may impact water quality. The following recommendations are adapted from the National Water Quality Month website.

1. Wash your car at a car wash. Even though it might cost more than washing your car at home, taking your car to a car wash can save water and may prevent toxic chemicals from flushing down storm drains that can empty into lakes, rivers, and streams. Professional car washes are legally required to drain into sewer systems so that the water can be treated before being re-used, according to the Department of Ecology.

2. Pick up after your pet. Animal waste can be full of nitrogen which can remove oxygen from the water leaving it unsuitable for aquatic life.

3. Instead of hosing down a paved driveway, use a broom.

4. Avoid using fertilizer made with phosphorus. After heavy rainfall or watering, these chemicals can leach into nearby groundwater sources. Try using organic materials or waiting for drier weather if applying lawn care products.

5. Use a medication disposal site for unwanted medication instead of flushing them down the toilet. These products have toxic chemicals that should not be flushed down the drain.

6. Take used oil or antifreeze to a service station or recycling center.

7. Use a rain barrel to collect rainwater. Installing a rain barrel may not only save you money, but can also be used for watering your landscape.

Tips one, three, and seven can also support water conservation. For example, we use a rain barrel to water our wildflower patch, container plants, and birdbath. See ”water resources” on the Stevens County Conservation District’s fact sheet, located at stevenscountywa.gov, for more information on collecting rainwater and rain barrel basics. 

If you’re on a private or shared well, the Northeast Tri-County Health District recommends testing the water annually. Their website, netchd.org, has detailed information on water quality testing. For groundwater and well water quality, tanks should be cleaned and inspected every few years according to the health district. 

In Stevens County, common concerns with drinking water can be hard water, heavy metals, manganese, sulfur, and bacteria. If you are concerned about your municipal drinking water, contact Stevens County Public Works Department at 509-684-4548 to obtain the most recent testing results.

More information can be found at the Washington State University Master Gardeners website at  extension.wsu.edu/stevens/gardening/general-gardening-information. Scroll down to the Statesman-Examiner section under Newspaper Column resources and look for this article’s title.

The WSU Extension Master Gardener Program trains volunteers to be effective community educators in gardening and environmental stewardship. Master Gardeners provide information generated from research at WSU and other university systems. Sheree Collins, a native plant enthusiast who lives in Rice, has been a Master Gardener volunteer since 2024. Sheree oversees our Ask a Master Gardener Plant Clinic, which operates Thursdays, 1-3 pm and Mondays 9-11 am. WSU Stevens County Extension Office, 986 S Main Suite D, Colville.