The Indiana American Water storage tank along Jefferson Street is seen on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, in Franklin, Indiana. (Noah Crenshaw | Daily Journal)
It is Source Water Protection Week and Indiana American Water is sharing tips on how to protect local water resources.
During Source Water Protection Week and all year long, Greenwood-based Indiana American Water strives to educate employees and customers across the state about the steps the company takes to provide safe, clean, affordable, and reliable water services. These tips can be found on Indiana American Water’s “Watershed Protection” page at indianaamwater.com.
The company asks customers across the state and Johnson County to use these tips to keep local water sources safe.
“Protecting water resources like lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and well fields are crucial for helping ensure clean, safe and reliable drinking water. These natural sources can be vulnerable to pollution and overuse, which can lead to water shortages and health hazards,” Matt Prine, president of Indiana America Water, said in a statement. “All Hoosiers can help by reducing their use of harmful chemicals, properly disposing of waste and supporting conservation efforts. By taking these impactful actions, we can preserve our water resources for future generations.”
The company says many of these tips should be considered for year-round practices:
- Plant landscaping around homes or businesses with more permeable surfaces, such as mulch, that allow water to soak into the ground. Try to limit concrete and asphalt, which contributes to runoff.
- Use native plants that require minimal fertilizer, herbicides and watering.
- Do not over-apply chemicals to plants and avoid application immediately before it rains.
- Plant a rain garden that uses native plants and grass to capture and absorb rainwater from rooftops and roads. These planned gardens help simplify lawn maintenance, control erosion and reduce runoff into streams and storm water systems.
- Keep litter, pet waste and yard waste out of streets and storm drains. Pet waste contains bacteria that can find its way into waterways through runoff.
- Select non-toxic or less toxic alternatives to typical household products, such as cleaning agents.
- Dispose of pharmaceuticals by taking them to collection sites, where available. Don’t flush them down in the toilet!
- Use hazardous waste collection sites and services to dispose of items such as chemicals, paints, motor oil and batteries.
- Report any hazardous material spills, illegal dumping, or suspicious activity to local or state authorities.
Parent company American Water and Indiana American Water say they are committed to providing high-quality drinking water while also prioritizing source water protection, which includes:
- Conducting nearly 1 million tests and measurements each year at American Water’s state-of-the-art research laboratories.
- Application of the most advanced technology, equipment, and filtration processes.
- Constant collaborative work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other state and local agencies to meet or surpass water quality standards and address emerging contaminants so that potential impacts to water quality are minimized.
