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Pesticides and Water Quality
Pesticides and
Water Quality
Did you know that whatever flows into the storm drain flows untreated
into our urban creeks and bay? This includes pesticides used to
control pests in and around buildings and homes as well as in lawns
and gardens. Washed away by rain water and irrigation water runoff,
these pesticides and herbicides may end up flowing into the storm
drains, creeks, and bay.
Pesticides can adversely affect water quality in our City and
beyond. Very small amounts of some pesticides can be toxic to aquatic
life, and pesticides can also impact our drinking water supplies.
Urban sources of pesticides are threats to human health and the
health of our watershed, but you can do simple things to help make
a difference in protecting water quality.
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Prevent Pesticide Pollution
In your lawn, garden, business, and home, be sure to practice
integrated pest management (IPM) techniques. IPM integrates biological,
physical, and least-toxic chemical pest prevention and control
methods. Instead of using chemical controls as a quick fix for
a pest problem, IPM teaches us how to manage our buildings and
landscapes more sustainably, using less chemicals, and often saving
money. To learn more about IPM, including how to manage specific
pests or plants, visit the University
of California’s IPM
web site.
Our Water
Our World and Watershed
Watch offer more information on water quality, pesticides,
and IPM, including information on how to manage specific pests.
You can even Ask
The Expert if you can’t find the answer to a
specific pest problem.
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Pesticide Disposal
Pesticides are toxic chemicals and should always be disposed of
safely. Never pour unused pesticides outdoors or down storm drains,
and do not pour pesticides down indoor drains such as sinks, toilets,
and showers. Instead, all unused pesticides should be taken to
a County Household Hazardous Waste
drop-off location for disposal. To schedule a
free drop-off at a location near you, phone 408-299-7300.
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Structural Pest Management - How do I keep bugs out of my building?
The first premise of pest control is that you should manage your
building (office, home, etc.) to keep pests out. Here are some
basic things that you can do to prevent a pest problem:
- Caulk holes
in the building where pests might get in.
- Put weather-stripping
on doors and windows.
- Keep your garbage and recycling bins clean,
and move them away from the building.
- Clean recyclable containers
before placing them in the bin.
- Maintain window and door screens
in good condition.
- Vacuum and mop floors regularly, and generally
keep things clean and uncluttered.
- Store food in tightly sealed
containers.
- Keep plumbing in good repair, with no leaks or cracks.
If you already have a pest problem in your building, you may want
to:
- Identify where the pests are coming from (for example, you
can look for ant scouts).
- Eliminate
the current pests.
If you must use a pesticide product, use the least toxic
product available.
- Take corrective action to prevent a future
pest recurrence.
- Continue to monitor for pests in the future
to prevent large infestations.
Do you currently use the services of a pest management company,
or do you need to find one? Remember to ask the company if their
practitioners follow IPM techniques. You can find IPM service providers
in the Bay Area through EcoWise
or the Bio-Integral Resource
Center.
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Landscaping Pest Management
How can you manage pests in a landscape setting such as a lawn,
garden, or ornamental plot? Realize that for the most part, nature
maintains its own balance. Predatory insects and animals such as
birds eat many insects that
we consider pests in our landscapes and gardens. It is very important
to avoid spraying pesticides if at all possible, because in the
process we will harm or kill the beneficial insects and animals.
Then what happens? We have eliminated the natural predators that
were helping to keep the pests in check!
Instead of using a pesticide in your lawn or garden, look for
less harmful solutions to pest problems. For example:
- You can attract
beneficial insects such as lady bugs, lady bug larvae, and
soldier bugs to your landscape by planting “good
bug plants.” You can also purchase
beneficial insects from many garden supply stores and online.
These predators will eat
pesky insects such as aphids and tomato hornworm.
- Install a bird
feeder to attract bug-eating birds. Throw some seed on
the ground, too, as some birds prefer to eat on the ground.
Install a bird bath and be sure to change the water weekly
to eliminate breeding mosquitoes.
- If you have a mosquito problem, install
a bat box in your yard or against the side of a building.
One bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes per day! If there is not
a creek, lake, or other water body nearby, provide a source of
water
for the bats.
- If you have a gopher problem, try installing a barn owl
box. Barn owls are natural predators of gophers, mice, and
moles.
- Manage your irrigation system well. Oftentimes, people mistake
side effects of improper irrigation for a pest or fungus
problem. As a matter of fact, improper irrigation is the
most common
cause of lawn damage in California. Irrigation should
be infrequent (no more than twice a week) and deep to encourage
optimal root
growth
and overall plant health. Learn more about managing
irrigation and pests in lawns.
- Prune shrubs properly
and remove any infested or diseased sections of plants
promptly.
- Have reasonable expectations for your lawn and
garden, which you share with nature.
Would you like to reduce pesticide use while implementing money-saving
soil and water conservation practices, too? Be sure to landscape
and garden the Bay-Friendly way.
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