August is Water Quality Awareness Month

August in Illinois brings to mind thoughts of the “dog days of summer” when people look to find relief from the heat with a refreshing glass of ice water or cooling off by boating and swimming in a nearby lake. August is also National Water Quality Awareness Month, which is a time to examine our actions to make sure we're doing everything we can to protect our most precious resource throughout the year.

Actions we take every day have the potential to negatively impact water quality.

Make these water-friendly choices to do your part:

• Never litter.
• Pick up pet waste and dispose of it in the trash.
• Take used oil, leftover paint and other household chemicals to Household Hazardous Waste collection sites.
• Fertilize according soil test results and only use what your lawn needs. Soil tests are free for Johnson County residents (limited quantity)!
• Mulch or bag grass clippings and leaves — never blow them into the street or storm drains.
• Never flush prescription drugs; instead, find a drug take-back location for proper disposal.

If you are unsure where to take items to be recycled, visit RecycleSpot.org, a local, comprehensive recycling resource.