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Other Dates to Remember May 7 Community Cleanup and Celebration, Lewiston/Auburn May 21 Pet Festival, Lewiston May 26 Make a Wish Foundation Walk, Lewiston/Auburn June 16 Business to Business Trade Show, Lewiston July 4 Liberty Festival, Lewiston/Auburn Aug 5-7 Festival de Joie, Lewiston/Auburn Aug 19-21 Great Falls Balloon Festival, Lewiston/Auburn Aug 28 5K Bridge Run, Lewiston/Auburn Sept 9-10 Greek Festival, Lewiston Sept 24 Household Hazardous Waste Collection, Auburn Public Works For additional information, contact the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce at 783-2249 http://www.androscoggincounty.com/ Participate in the 2005 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Please recycle or properly dispose of household products that contain insecticides, pesticides, paint, solvents, used motor oil and other auto fluids. Don’t pour them onto the ground, into storm drains or the street, or into sinks or toilets. Tentatively Scheduled for September 2005 Remember...storm drains are NOT connected to the sanitary sewer, do NOT get treated, and may discharge directly into the Androscoggin River, Little Androscoggin River, No Name Pond, Lake Auburn, Taylor Pond, and Sabattus Pond. If you have concerns regarding storm water pollution, please call Customer Service in Lewiston 784-5753 x242 TTY/TTD 784-5999 Originally Developed for the City of Lewiston, Maine as a Requirement of the Clean Water Act Dept. of Public Services (207) 784-5753 www.ci.lewiston.me.us/publicservices by AQUARION Engineering Services Portland, Maine Tel. (207) 828-1272 www.aquarioneng.com With materials provided by the USEPA Storm water explained and how you can help! Storm Water Pollution Prevention for the Androscoggin River and No Name Pond ---PAGE BREAK--- Don’t Litter Sweep up litter and debris from sidewalks, driveways, streets, ditches and parking lots, especially around storm drains. Debris— plastic bags, six-pack rings, bottles, and cigarette butts—washed into waterbodies can choke, suffocate, or disable aquatic life such as ducks, fish, turtles, and birds. Lawn Care Don’t overwater your lawn. Consider using a soaker hose instead of a sprinkler. Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly. When use is necessary, use these chemicals in the recommended amounts. Use organic mulch or safer pest control methods whenever possible. Compost or mulch yard waste. Don’t leave it in the street or sweep it into road ditches, storm drains, or streams. How Can I Keep Storm Water from Becoming Polluted? POLLUTED STORM WATER RUNOFF CAN HARM PLANTS, FISH, ANIMALS, AND PEOPLE. • Sediment can destroy aquatic life. • Bacteria can cause beach closures. • Household hazardous wastes can poison aquatic life. • Polluted storm water can affect drinking water sources. Imagine a raindrop falling from the sky and hitting a solid surface, such as a parking lot, road, or roof. As it runs off this surface, it collects soil, pesticides, spilled oil, gasoline, and bacteria. It flows directly into your local river or lake…or it might go through a storm drain…to an outfall…then into a waterbody. Now imagine an entire storm—lots of raindrops—or lots of melting snow— sweeping these contaminants into streams and ponds, then into the Androscoggin River watershed! It happens and it is called POLLUTED STORM WATER RUNOFF. How Does Storm Water Impact Me and My Community? Auto Care Washing your car and degreasing auto parts at home can send detergents and other contaminants into local rivers and lakes. Dumping automotive fluids into storm drains has the same result as dumping the materials directly into a waterbody. Wash your car within your yard so that the water goes into the ground. Repair oil and fluid leaks. Dispose of used auto fluids and batteries at designated drop-off or recycling locations. Pet Waste When walking your pet, remember to pick up its waste and properly dispose of it— it’s the law. Leaving pet waste on the ground increases public health risks by allowing harmful bacteria and nutrients to wash directly into local waterbodies by flowing over solid surfaces or through storm drains. Septic Systems Leaking and poorly maintained septic systems release bacteria and viruses that can be picked up by storm water and discharged into nearby waterbodies. This can cause public health problems and environmental concerns. Pump your tank as necessary (every 3 to 5 years).