Trash Removal

by Lisa Tompson, FHBWI Steering Committee

How often do you think about our water in Scituate - every time you turn on the tap to make a cup of tea or to take a shower? Or, do you take it completely for granted and never give it a second thought? Probably, like most people, you are somewhere in between - buying bottled water for consumption while blissfully filling a hot bathtub - at least until you receive your next water bill.

As a Watershed Neighbor, there are some simple changes you can make to your lifestyle to help protect Scituate?s drinking water supply. Here are some ways YOU can make a difference.

1. Check your downspouts to make sure that rain drains away from your foundation and onto your lawn or flowerbeds, not your driveway or leaching field-septic system area. Consider attaching a rain barrel to one or more of your downspout pipes to collect water to use during dry spells or use splashguards to slow erosion.
2. We have too many nutrients in our water supply. Reduce the amount of fertilizers and pesticides that you put on your lawn. You might even test the soil with a soils kit from the hardware store to see if fertilizer is needed, and, if so, apply during October or November - not in the spring and never before a heavy rainfall.
3. Reduce the size of your lawn by planting beds and choosing drought tolerant grass and low maintenance plants. Besides creating less work for yourself, you will also be making additional habitat for birds and insects. Keep your lawn mower blade sharp and cut the grass about 2 1/2 to 3 inches high. If possible, use a mulching mower and the clippings will naturally fertilize your lawn. Try to water deeply once a week in the early morning, thereby strengthening the roots of your grass and reducing evaporation.
4. Create a vegetated buffer if your yard abuts a stream or wetland, but be careful to use only native plants and not invasive species. If you already have a vegetated buffer, leave it as wide as possible, never fertilize it and avoid removing leaf litter. In order to maintain your view of the water, plant a high-grass or low bush buffer that can be mowed or trimmed once a year. These strips of natural vegetation along banks help prevent flooding, absorb many kinds of pollution, stop erosion as well as improve fishing and support wildlife. They also act as a filtering system for non-point source pollution like vehicle fluids, salt, sand and fertilizers.
5. Keep your septic system healthy by making sure that it?s pumped periodically by a licensed service to prolong its life and prevent your leaching field from malfunctioning. Avoid using septic additives and never pour anything into your that you would not put into an aquarium. A good way to dispose of cooking oil is to store it in a can in the refrigerator and, when full, toss it in the trash. Take all unwanted bottles and cans of unwanted household chemicals, paint, motor oils, etc. to the annual Hazardous Waste Collection Day that is held in Scituate at least once a year.
6. Pick up your trash in your yard and in your neighborhood. Litter entering catch basins will impede and eventually clog drainage systems. Trash can enter natural areas of the watershed and damage or destroy habitats. This is one of the most contentious and irritating problems in Scituate. Why not get together with your neighbors a couple of times a year to hold a neighborhood clean-up day; this would reduce hassle, encourage cooperation and benefit the watershed.

Watershed Neighbors can also make a difference by becoming more involved with town-wide and local issues.

1. Visit Town Hall and learn who is responsible for protecting our environment. Are you aware that the selectmen in Scituate are also our ?water commissioners?? It is their duty to protect our water supply along with people in the Board of Health, Conservation Commission. Zoning Board, Planning Board and other town offices. They are all struggling with the current building boom and need the support of motivated residents. You can also become directly involved by volunteering for a board and by attending meetings. Take part in Town Meeting. Scituate has the purest form of government - we, the citizens, are the legislators.
2. Identify undeveloped open space, large or small in your neighborhood. Connect natural areas in your neighborhood to create ?greenways? for wildlife and water resource protection. Support local land protection organizations like the Maxwell Conservation Trust. Bring ideas for land purchases, trails, and other projects to the Community Preservation Committee and support the purchase of properties earmarked for conservation. Participate in First Herring Brook Watershed Initiative meetings and programs designed to explore and enjoy the remaining natural areas near our water resources right here in Scituate.
3. Find out if your neighborhood is part of a Homeowners Association. Many recently constructed housing subdivisions have been designed with shared utilities and septic systems. Owners are required to form a Homeowners Association to maintain the integrity of these amenities. If you living in one of these communities make sure that a committee of neighbors has been established to look after these utilities and abide by any Orders of Conditions set forth by the Conservation Commission before homes were constructed.
4. Create an active Watershed Neighborhood. Start by holding a neighborhood-brainstorming meeting or a local watershed block party; create a rain garden to soak up storm water; make a checklist of ideas to improve the area; explore biodiversity in your back yard or conservation land with your neighbors and children; get to know each other and have fun!

There are several more upcoming events being co-sponsored by the First Herring Brook Watershed Initiative and Maxwell Conservation Trust. We look forward to seeing you there! Contact 781-545-5987 or www.fhbwi.org for more information.