How You Can Help Protect Lake of the Woods
No single act by any one person can save a lake. But all of us, doing simple things, can have an impact – a little bit at a time. If we all commit to making small changes – such as conserving water, maintaining our septic systems and using fewer phosphorus-containing household products – we can have a tremendous collective impact.
There are many simple things you can do that can make a difference:
- Maintain and protect your septic system
- Use phosphate-free soaps and detergents
- Be an environmentally friendly boater
- Be waste wise
- Minimize your water use
- Burn responsibly
- Be a green gardener
Maintain and protect your septic system
- Pump your tank regularly (generally every three to five years).
- Inspect your septic field regularly. (Wet areas, sewage smells and excessive vegetation growth could mean the field is overloaded or failing; if so, repair as soon as possible.)
- Do not put food, compost, grease, bleach, harsh cleansers, paints, solvents, pesticides or toxic chemicals in your system.
- Conserve water to reduce the amount going into your septic system.
- Keep trees, shrubs and heavy equipment away from your septic field.
Use phosphate-free soaps and detergents
- Use phosphate-free, chlorine-free, biodegradable soap, shampoo, household cleaning products and detergents.
- Look for the "EcoLogo" sign on products which indicates endorsement by Environment Canada and ensures a truly environmentally-friendly product.
Be an environmentally friendly boater
- Maintain your engine and inspect fuel lines, clamps and filters every month.
- Recycle spent fuel and oil at a hazardous waste facility.
- Clean your boat well (far from shore) when leaving the water.
- Store your grey water and black water until you can safely pump out your tank at a marina.
- Reduce wakes near shore to help reduce erosion.
For more detailed information on how boaters can help, read our Environmentally Friendly Boating tip sheet.
Be waste wise
- Buy only what you can use.
- Reduce and reuse before recycling everything possible.
- Avoid excess plastic packaging.
- Compost food scraps, leaves and weeds.
For more great ways you can be "waste wise," please read our Responsible Garbage Disposal tip sheet.
Minimize your water use
- Install a water-recycling or reuse system for your bath, shower, dishwasher and washing machine water.
- Space out washing machine and dishwasher use over the week to reduce the load on your septic system.
- Install a water-efficient toilet and flush only for "solid reasons."
- Take short showers.
Burn responsibly
- Avoid burning waste in burn barrels or fire pits.
- Use alternative waste-disposal options such as composting and chipping.
Read about what types of waste you should never burn, alternatives to burning and "clean" burning in our Burning Responsibly tip sheet
Be a green gardener
- Have a green and healthy lawn and garden without pesticides.
- Do not use synthetic fertilizers.
- Use native plants, trees, groundcovers and minimize the size of your lawn.
- Maintain a buffer of vegetation between the shore and your lawn – shrubs and native grasses will absorb nutrients flowing towards shore and minimize what reaches the lake.
