Ecology Department uses online campaign to help water quality

Doggie-doo residue and harmful chemicals regularly slip down storm drains and find their way into local lakes, streams and marine waters.

Yuck.

The state hopes a new online campaign will prompt Washington residents to change their habits to help clean up local waterways. The Department of Ecology has created a Web site that provides information, tips and downloadable posters to suggest things residents can do to reduce the amount of pollutants entering state waters.

"Solid scientific research confirms that we, as individuals, are the key to healthy, clean waters all across our state," Ecology Director Jay Manning said in a statement. "With Washington's growth and the issues we face in restoring Puget Sound, this topic has never been more relevant."

Water that flows down neighborhood streets and trickles into storm drains often travels to nearby rivers and lakes without any treatment. That means suds from a driveway carwash or dog droppings neglected on the sidewalk can easily flow into local rivers, lakes and Puget Sound.

Fertilizers, manure, oil from cars and detergents can pollute bodies of water and perpetuate conditions such as unsafe bacteria and a lack of oxygen in the water. Recent Ecology Department reports have shown that surface runoff is detrimental to Puget Sound.

"Stormwater is the overarching vehicle to carry these pollutants downstream to our waters," said Sandy Howard, an Ecology spokeswoman and project leader for this campaign.

The new Web site, called "Washington Waters — Ours to Protect," includes fact sheets designed to help residents make choices that will benefit local waterways.

The site suggests frequently checking cars for oil leaks to prevent motor oil from dripping and entering storm drains. It also advocates pulling weeds instead of using herbicides, and getting regular septic-system checkups.

For livestock farms, the Web site suggests ways to compost or better contain manure. And when picking up what a dog leaves behind, owners should plastic-bag it and throw it in the trash.

Many of the tips on the new Web site debuted a decade ago during an earlier campaign to address water-quality issues. That effort used billboards and radio and television announcements to try to persuade Washington residents to make changes for the sake of cleaner waterways.

The online campaign serves as a continuation of that effort, Howard said. Ecology officials hope that local governments, schools and other organizations will use the site's information, tips and quirky posters for education.

The Web site took about two years to build and includes input from agencies such as the state Department of Health, the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Puget Sound Partnership and the Washington Conservation Commission. Less than $10,000 in federal money helped initiate the project, but Ecology employees completed most of the work, Howard said.

State officials plan to add instructional YouTube videos and will continue developing the site as the campaign expands.

Michelle Ma: 206-464-2303 or mma@seattletimes.com