Mille Lacs Lake Watershed Management
Group
130 Southgate Drive Aitkin, MN 56431 www.millelacswatershed.org 218-927-6565
TOPIC OF THE MONTH - MARCH 2015
Groundwater Awareness Week is March 8 -14
Out of sight, out of mind. That is how most people feel about groundwater if they
think about it at all. Yet groundwater supplies 100% of the drinking water for folks
living near Mille Lacs Lake.
The Mille Lacs Lake Watershed Management Group reminds us that it is
Groundwater Awareness Week and asks that we take some time to consider
ways to protect and conserve our water source.
Do you know what uses the most water in your home? Your toilet. Typically 27%
of your daily water use is from flushing your toilet. Older toilets use about 6
gallons a flush! Your clothes washer uses 36 to 60 gallons a load and
your typical shower uses 20 to 40 gallons. Why is this important?
Groundwater comes from rain water that soaks into the ground and
moves through the soil until it reaches an underground storage area
called an aquifer. City and private wells tap into these aquifers for
drinking water. Problems occur when the amount of water reaching
the aquifer does not keep pace with the amount of water being pulled
from the aquifer. This means that over time there will be less
groundwater available for homes, farms, business and schools. If you
water your lawn you pump up 5 to 10 gallons a minute from the aquifer
but it can take much longer for that water to return through the soil to the aquifer.
Or, the water might run off your lawn, down your driveway, into the storm sewer
and into the lake and not back into the aquifer. Water that runs off of impervious
surfaces like roofs, driveways and parking lots does not get a chance to return to
the aquifer.
Groundwater is also vulnerable to contamination. The quality of our groundwater
is dependent on the way land is used over areas where water is moving back into
the aquifer Pollutants like leaking septic systems, household chemicals, excess
fertilizer from lawns and fields, chemical leaks or spills and pesticides can all find
their way into our drinking water source.
What can you do to protect and conserve your groundwater?
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Seal your unused wells to prevent pollutants reaching the groundwater.
Contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District for financial
assistance.
Adjust sprinklers to water only grass areas and not hard
surfaces such as streets and driveways.
Plant native grasses to replace some of your lawn grass.
They are attractive and do not need watering.
Build a rain garden to help catch and infiltrate rain water.
Install rain barrels to capture roof run off to be used to water
plants and gardens.
Switch to a new low flow toilet. They use 3 ½ gallons or less
per flush.
Have your septic system inspected for leaks and keep it well
maintained.
Contact your County to participate in their Hazardous Household Waste
drop off events.
Be aware of how much water you use in a day and think about ways to cut
back.
Become an active member of the Mille Lacs Lake Watershed
Management Group.
Contact the Mille Lacs Lake Watershed Management Group and the Aitkin
SWCD at 218-927-6565, the Mille Lacs SWCD at 230-983-2160 and the Crow
Wing SWCD at 218-828-6197 for more information.