Striving for clean water

August 04, 2013

Striving for clean water

Major funding for the Demonstration Garden has been provided through EPA Region 7 Section 319 of the Clean Water Act and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Valerie Hentges in DNR’s Water Protection Program is extremely knowledgeable and helpful in guiding our project to address non-point source pollution.

Non-point source pollution comes from many sources and pollutes rivers and streams. Urban storm-water runoff – a major source of non-point source pollution — carries litter, animal waste, motor oil, fertilizers, pesticides and sediment from roads, parking lots and roofs into local waterways.

According to the EPA, non-point source pollution is the leading cause of water quality problems in the U.S. and can be harmful to the drinking water supplies as well as recreation and aquatic life.