WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS

Thank you, County residents, for your pollution prevention efforts! This Thanksgiving season, and throughout the year, the County thanks its residents for all they do to prevent stormwater pollution. There are many simple everyday actions residents can take to preserve our water quality. Picking up and properly disposing of pet waste, securing lids on trash bins, sweeping up dirt and yard debris from driveways and walkways, and using a commercial car wash that reuses wash water are all ways to reduce the amount of polluted stormwater runoff entering our storm drains. Since water in our storm drain system is not treated, these small actions make a big difference in protecting our local waterways and ocean.

Recycling can help even more!

Preventing waste before it starts is another way to reduce water pollution and save energy, conserve natural resources, and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. Let’s celebrate National Recycling Day on November 15^th and come together as a community to reduce, reuse and recycle right.

• Reduce – choose reusable products packaged in recyclable materials or with little or no packaging; rent or borrow infrequently used items like party supplies or power tools; eliminate junk mail
• Reuse – bag groceries in reusable bags; store leftovers in reusable food containers; take packaging peanuts and bubble wrap to shipping stores for re-use; share excess cardboard boxes with neighbors for moving or packing, or repurpose into cardboard forts for children’s play equipment
• Recycle – use curbside recycling services or take products to a recycling drop-off center; compost kitchen scraps and yard trimmings to reduce waste and add nutrients to your garden

Not all recycling needs to end up in the curbside bin! Many items around your home can be repaired or repurposed. With an eye on reducing waste, you can reuse materials to make pet toys, recycle makeup, and make your own sunscreen, body scrubs, sanitizer, and cleaning supplies. Check out WasteFreeSD for informative resources and do-it-yourself projects to achieve zero waste in your household. However, when you do have recyclables in your bin, make sure the lid stays closed. Otherwise your recyclables can blow out and become water pollution.

By practicing these tips and proper recycling techniques, you can play a key role in preserving our environment and beautifying our waterways and coastline. Find a complete list of Recycling Guides for both residents and businesses here

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Find My District

ONLINE SERVICES

Report Stormwater Pollution
Report observed pollution to the correct jurisdiction.

Citizen Access Portal
Research property information and permits. Apply for some permits online.

GIS Maps
Find property information including zoning designation with our web-based mapping tool. 

Watershed Protection Website
sandiegocounty.gov/stormwater

Project Clean Water efforts are focused on providing a centralized point of access to water quality information and resources for San Diego County Watersheds. Click HERE to visit Project Clean Water’s website.