Clean water starts at home

A major source of water pollution is runoff from your yard from rain and watering. Before our community was developed, rainfall soaked slowly into the ground or flowed to wetlands, streams and rivers. As buildings and pavement have replaced plants and topsoil, water runs off instead of soaking into the soil.

Runoff goes to the storm drains and ditches. It picks up anything that floats or dissolves - litter, oil, gas, soap, fertilizer, weed killer, etc. Then it flows untreated to the Tualatin River.

Free poster!

Get your free Gardening with Native Plants poster at teraglie@cleanwaterservices.org or by calling (503) 681-4463. Post this colorful fold-out poster containing 50 northwest natives with their growing conditions. You’ll also get a list of native plant nurseries, educational workshops, annual native plant sales and a reference guide.

What can you do?

Remember, clean water starts at home. Learn more about how your daily activities can improve the health of our rivers and streams.