Everything that goes down a drain into a storm sewer, or whatever is spread on a lawn, eventually ends up in the water—a stream, a river, a lake or an ocean. If we all were to be more careful in the use of water on our residential properties, that would reduce the amount of run-off.

Wetlands and forests naturally filter water. Hard surfaces such as driveways, parking lots and rooftops all sluice water into the earth. In urban settings, flowing water collects contaminants and sends them down the storm water grates into the lowest point in our watershed—Lake Simcoe.

Over-watering lawns and gardens worsens urban run-off. Water that is not taken up by the grass and plants sweeps away phosphorus and other contaminates, ending up in the streams, rivers and the lake. There are some easy steps homeowners can take to help prevent run-off:

Steps to being water-wise

• The key to wise watering is to apply water infrequently yet thoroughly.

• Your lawn only needs 2 to 3 cm (1") of water every three to seven days depending on weather conditions, slope, drainage, soil type and the length of the roots.

• To track rainfall and how much water you are putting on your lawn, you can use a rain gauge or an empty tuna-fish can. Leave this on the lawn in an open area and keep an eye on it for a week to see how much water is collected.

• Once a lawn’s watering needs are known, you can turn the sprinkler on and set it for the required time. A quick way to check if watering is necessary is to walk on the grass. If footprints linger for a few hours, the grass is dehydrated and needs water.

• Limiting lawn-watering to one hour a week will reduce summer water use by 50%. You save on your water bill! Consider that 45% of the average summer water bill is attributed to lawn- and garden-watering!

• Over-watering is NOT good for the waters. It’s also bad for a plant’s root system. A weakened root system is more susceptible to pests and diseases.

• If a lawn is in the process of “getting off fertilizers and pesticides,” the grass root system will probably be shallow. Time and TLC will be needed to increase the root depth and improve the soil. Be patient and understand that there will be signs of drought in the lawn until the root system is improved and established.

• Make sure you leave your grass clippings on your lawn (see WAVE 2) and never allow them to be swept or blown into the curb or street gutter, where they are washed into the sewer as another phosphorus contributor.

• If you have a hard-surface driveway, wash your car or boat on the lawn, not on the pavement, so the soap does not flow into the sewer but instead is absorbed by the ground, which helps filter it. However, as soap is not great for the grass, it is still better to take the car to a car wash that recycles water.

• Planting trees is another way of helping reduce run-off. Trees absorb water and help and clean it.

• Rain barrels with mosquito screens on them can capture run-off from your roof. The amount is astonishing. Visit:
  Rain Barrels: Useful run-off solutions!