Little things matter when it comes to preventing water pollution. Here are just a few of them:

• always sweep your driveway to keep it clean, rather than hosing it off;
• use a commercial car wash — cleaning your car at home flushes dangerous chemicals down the storm drain and directly into our lakes and streams;
• pick up after your dog;
• dispose of used motor oil properly - one quart of motor oil can contaminate more than 250,000 gallons of water;
• don’t overuse pesticides or fertilizers as they can travel through runoff and soil and contaminate ground water;
• help pick up litter on the streets that could end up going down the storm drain or seeping into our waterways;
• use detergents that are phosphate-free to save our lakes and streams;
• join in a beach, stream, or wetlands cleanup project; and
• properly dispose of prescription medications and other products that are too often flushed down the toilet, into the wastewater system and out to the environment. Consult with your local health department for information on proper disposal in your community.

It’s important to realize that water entering a storm drain flows into your waterways without passing through a wastewater treatment plant first. And remember, only flush the 3 items toilets are meant to handle: toilet paper, urine and human waste. Anything else should be put in the trash.

Help educate others on the importance of these "little things" and it all adds up to the "big thing" of each of doing our part to prevent water pollution.