Good morning, I would like to share our series featuring Unique Holidays: August 11th, 2022: Water Quality Month. Charlie is starting school soon and in our Homeschool Class Charlie and I can study National Water Quality Month and volunteer to clean up our Water. Would you like to help me?
Water Quality Month
I would like to ask you a question. Were you aware August is National Water Quality Month? The time of year when many people are enjoying the last bits of Summer recreational activities involving Water. These bodies of Water are threatened by increasing Water pollution. The Clean Water Act was passed in 1972. Although, most people are unaware of the little ways they can pollute their Water. Water sustains all life and entire ecosystems depend on Water for their survival.
National Water Quality Month reminds us to take a long, hard look at what our household and community are doing to protect sources of fresh Water.
The History of National Water Quality Month
The United Nations has declared 2005-2015 an International Decade for Action “Water for Life” in order to emphasize the importance of Water quality as it relates to sanitation, human rights, geography, urbanization and sustainability. Emphasizing how interlinked Water systems are, the Audubon Society points to the dangers of runoff from agriculture, forestry, construction and people’s personal yards:
“Each individual household may not produce enough pollution to force a Beach closing or cause a Fish kill, but the combined output of all the homes in a community can be severe. Consider that about half of the U.S. population lives within 50 miles of a Coastline where runoff flows quickly to the Ocean.
This is why watershed protection attention not only to the body of Water but the area that drains water into it is important.”
How to Celebrate National Water Quality Month
What can individuals and families can do to prevent Water pollution from their homes especially during National Water Quality Month? Here’s a short list of things that you can do at home to help:
- Don’t use antibacterial soaps or cleaning products. Regular soap and water will do the trick.
- Do not flush unwanted or out-of-date medications down the toilet or drain.
- Don’t putting anything but water down storm drains because the Storm Drains carry water to local Waterways.
- If you have a private well make sure the well is tested and cleaned regularly. There can be bacteria build up in wells.
Another option could be to gather a group of family,and neighbors and volunteer to clean a local Water source. You could bring a picnic and hold a contest to see who can clean up the most trash offering a prize to the winning team.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
