Illicit discharges are easiest to spot when there hasn’t been rainfall or snowmelt for at least 72 hours (3 days). If you spot a storm drain or a pipe leading to a waterway that has an unusual odor, suds, an oil sheen, or flowing water during dry weather, you may have found an illicit discharge. If you think that there is an illicit discharge in your community, contact an official in your community to address the problem.

Car washing and Maintenance

Maintenance: Keep up with car maintenance to reduce leaks of oil, coolant, antifreeze and other hazardous fluids. A single quart of motor oil can pollute 250,000 gallons of drinking water. If you don’t have a place to recycle used motor oil in your community, ask your local sanitation or public works department to create one. 

Washing: Be “green” when washing your car. Skip the home carwash and take your car to a professional carwash as they’re required to treat the water before it is discharged. This spares our local rivers and lakes from the brake fluid, oil, and automotive fluids that could otherwise contaminate our water. Many carwashes also recycle their wastewater and use less than half the amount of water a home carwash does. Ask around to find a carwash that practices wastewater recycling. Alternatively, you can “wash” your car at home using a waterless carwash product.

Household Waste Disposal

Household hazardous wastes is defined by the Wisconsin DNR as “any waste product found in your home, yard or garage that can cause substantial harm to human health or the environment when improperly managed”. This can include cleaners, pool chemicals, paints, stains, pesticides, and more! To learn more about alternatives and safe disposal, visit this fact page. Click on your county below to see where to dispose of hazardous wastes. Unsure of which county you reside in or don’t see your county? Visit your Municipalities' website for their hazardous waste disposal instructions.

1. Dechlorinate your pool water. Dichlorination is the process of removing chlorine from water. It is an important step in the drainage process as it can help protect biodiversity and the ecological balance of aquatic ecosystems. You can naturally do so from your home by letting the water sit under direct sunlight for 2-7 days (depending on the size of the pool), without the addition of chlorine or other chemicals. Dichlorination happens when the UV energy from the sun breaks the chemical bonds in chlorine molecules. Be sure that the filter backwash is also free of chlorine and other chemicals.

2. Test the pH. The pH is the measurement to test a solution's acidity or basicity. You can check the pH level with test strips, liquid drop kits, digital pool testers, or professional lab testing. You want to ensure that the pH is near neutral (pH 7) before you drain the pool water. Adjust the pH if necessary. A neutral pH is important to make sure that it is in a safe range for aquatic life.

3. Drain onto a vegetated surface on your property. Once you dechlorinated the water and ensured a neutral pH, remove any excess sediment and debris. The pool will then be ready to be drained. Drain slowly across a vegetated area on your property. Doing so at a slow rate allows the water to infiltrate into the ground and helps prevent erosion. Avoid draining the water onto your neighbor’s property and creating puddles. Do NOT drain onto a vegetated area on a rainy day or when soil is already saturated, and NEVER drain into impermeable surfaces like your driveway or into storm drains, sewers, or septic systems. Always check your local municipality’s guidelines prior to draining your pool.