Incentive Programs
Everyday actions can impact our water supply, rivers and springs. Visit the Water Conservation page for tips on saving money, conserving water and protecting our treasured springs!
Preventing Stormwater PollutionStormwater that flows from parking lots, driveways, and other hard surfaces can pick up pollutants as it travels (trash, oil, pet waste, fertilizer, grass clippings and leaves, dirt, etc.). This pollution is carried into stormdrains that lead directly to local water bodies and eventually into the aquifer, harming our water source that also feeds the springs and rivers we treasure. By minimizing our personal pollution, we can help protect local water and wildlife, the springs and rivers we love, and the water we drink! Remember, “Only Rain Down the Drain”!
Preventing Sewer Spills
Fat, Oil and Grease (FOG) Disposal
A large percentage of wastewater spills and overflows are caused by sewer pipes clogged with fats, oils, and grease. Always put cooking grease in a container and toss it in the trash instead of pouring it down the drain. The Alachua County Hazardous Waste Collection Center also takes used cooking oil and recycles it into biofuel!
Learn more about FOGs in this pamphlet.
Unflushables
Although wastewater treatment plants are fairly efficient at removing nutrients and bacteria, there are some pollutants that are not easily removed from wastewater. Treated wastewater eventually makes its way back into our aquifer, so it is important to follow these simple flushing rules
- Only flush the three Ps- Pee, Poo, and (toilet) paper! Just because something is called “Flushable” doesn’t mean you should!
- Never dispose of medications/pharmaceuticals down any drain or toilet. View information about pharmaceutical collection.
- Place FOGs in the trash or take them to a collection center.
Report wastewater spills to your local utility company, or ACEPD at 352-264-6817
Click on brochures and fact sheets below to learn how to minimize personal pollution:
- Apartment Complexes
- Car Washes
- Custodial and Building Management
- Erosion and Sediment Control at Construction Sites
- Food Service Industry
- Homeowner Best Management Practices
- Landscaping and Lawn Care
- Landscaping for Water Conservation
- Laundry Services
- Mobile Businesses
- Painters and Home Projects
- Pet Waste
- Pressure Washing
- Preventing Sewage Spills
- Septic System Maintenance
- Sinkhole Fact Sheet
- Springs Protection
- Stormwater Brochure for Homeowners
- Stormwater Ponds, A Citizen's Guide
- Swimming Pool Maintenance
- Water Conservation
- Waterfront Living
