Government, Utilities Unite Against Pollution

The logo, and theme, for the Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners. (Courtesy Of Northern Virginia Regional Commission)

The group gives out monthly tips on its Web site. April's focus was lawn care.

Overusing fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides on lawns and gardens causes algae growth in streams and the Chesapeake, according to the site. Some chemicals can kill aquatic life, it says.

Although spring weather invites yard work, fertilizing in the fall promotes healthier and deeper root growth for grass. Instead of fertilizing lawns, the group's site recommends leaving grass clippings to provide nutrients. It also suggests composting yard waste to create nutrient-rich soil for gardens.

Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners plans surveys to help quantify the effectiveness of the campaign. It also wants to figure out how aware Virginians are of storm water pollution and the behaviors that cause it.

Last year's survey found that after hearing the radio spot, 12 percent of respondents would be more careful with fertilizer, 9 percent would pick up after their pet more often and 9 percent said they would recycle their motor oil.

When asked what they think is the No. 1 pollutant in the Potomac and Chesapeake, more than a quarter of the respondents said trash being dumped into the river.

"The availability of clean water for drinking, washing and recreation is one of the most important services local governments provide," Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald E. Connolly (D) said in a statement. "Yet, polluted rivers have no boundaries."