Small things you can do on your property to protect water quality

Do you live on or near the water – whether the ocean, a lake or pond, a river or stream? Our waterways are beautiful and offer many opportunities for recreation, but they are also vulnerable. Threats to our local lakes, ponds, and rivers include toxic cyanobacteria or algae blooms, erosion and sediment, and bacterial contamination.

The good news is, there are many low or no-cost projects shorefront homeowners can do that make a significant difference to long-term water quality by promoting water infiltration and reducing run-off.

Director of Education and Community Science Sarah Gladu, who is also a trained LakeSmart evaluator and water quality professional, shares images of examples of different property management issues and talks about ways to address them. Sarah touches on shoreline buffers, septic systems, drip lines, driveway erosion, lawn care and other factors that might impact the water where you live.

Recorded on December 12, 2023 in Damariscotta, Maine.