You wouldn’t pour harmful chemicals into your glass of drinking water; but without realizing it, you could be poisoning your drinking water with everyday habits.

Clean Up After Fido

Not picking up after your pet on a walk is not only ill-mannered, it can also contaminate ground water. During heavy rain, the animal feces can wash into storm water management systems, which lead to waterways. This waste can encourage algae and weed growth, which in turn can clog waterways and kill fish. The EPA has included dog waste in the same category as toxic waste because it has become such a problem.

Face and Body Wash

You know that body wash infused with microbeads that makes a great exfoliator? They also look like food to fish. When you wash microbeads down the drain, many waste treatment plans can’t remove the tiny beads and they end up in the waterways where fish eat them. When fish ingest the beads, they are passed through to us when we eat the fish – along with the toxins.

Cooking

Don’t just throw that pan in the sink. Be sure to dispose of all cooking oil and grease in the garbage, not down the drain. While it might be a liquid now, it will solidify and clog your pipes, causing you a lot of problems.

Don’t Flush the Wipes

Sure, we like the feel of a wet wipe, but it doesn’t belong in your sewer system. Wipes don’t dissolve in water like toilet paper and can create massive problems in sewer systems. Always throw wipes in the trash.

Don’t Flush Those Meds!

Remember when you were told to flush medication so it wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands or poison someone – well it did! Medication flushed down the toilet will end up in the drinking water supply, creating exposure to antibiotics, antidepressants and other drugs. Additionally, medication could be ingested by fish, causing even more problems. Take all medications to a “Take-Back” program.

Want more ways to protect your water sources? Check out these additional tips.