Only Rain Goes Down The Drain!

This week we have some simple, yet super important tips from eco warrior Hayley Crawford to help us prevent commonly used chemicals from entering stormwater drains, where they can harm sea life and other animals that drink from the polluted waterways. With increased awareness we can individually make small changes that collectively make a significant difference to our environment.

Hayley is extremely passionate about our environment and sharing her low waste tips so that we can all live more sustainably. She is known as ‘Trash Talking Mama’ on Instagram, you can find her here.

From Hayley…

My Green Spot – Eco tip of the Month. Only rain goes down the drain. It’s an easy rule to remember but it’s not always followed, often due to a lack of awareness. The stormwater drains you see around the streets and properties are there to minimise flooding by directing rainwater into watercourses towards the sea. All too often, pollutants enter these drains, putting our marine life at risk as well as any other animals that drink from the waterways. These impurities also restrict necessary light from entering streams, causing oxygen levels to be reduced and making fish and shellfish unsuitable for consumption.

A common misdemeanour is washing your car in the driveway or paved area, allowing soapy chemicals to contaminate our waterways. The grass on your lawn, however, will cope with car wash detergents so if possible you should wash your car there or on gravel. Professional car wash sites often have filtration in their drains or they recycle their water, like at our local Washworks at 2 Foundry road, so they can be a great alternative. Water free car wash products are also available that have the added bonus of saving on water.

Oils from your car also end up down the drains from when your vehicle is hosed off or in the rain. Stay on top of oil leaks to avoid any greasy puddles. If you’re emptying a spa or pool this should likewise be done on the grass as the chemicals are not safe for our waterways.

When it comes to rinsing paint brushes, they must either be cleaned in your sinks where the pipes flow to a wastewater treatment plant to be filtered, or on the grass, as most paints these days are water based. It is furthermore our responsibility to keep drains free from pesticides, fertilisers, sediment, leaves, lawn clippings, litter, animal excrement, construction materials and debris. For more information head to the stormwater infrastructure page at Aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.