What: Wash your car on the grass, use a bucket and empty the dirty water into an inside sink or onto your lawn.
Why: While washing your car, cleaning oils, heavy metals (from brakes), detergent and dirt from driveways and roads can contaminate streams and can contribute toward unpleasant algal blooms harmful to wildlife. Using a bucket also minimises water usage and any wash water runoff.
What: Use an automatic or pre-pay car wash, or car wash café.
Why: In these places the waste water is captured and disposed of to the sewer. In some cases the wash water may be cleaned and reused with the final rinse using fresh water.
What: Careful car maintenance - clean up oil spills, fix leaking cars, recycle used motor oil, and use drip pans to catch engine oil while repairing cars.
Why: Oil on roads and driveways can wash into waterways harming wildlife. Using a mechanic to regularly service your car can reduce leaks and they make sure your old oil is recycled and oil filters are disposed of appropriately. Used automotive oil from households can be taken to be recycled at Domestic Hazardous Waste Drop-offs located at most transfer stations.
Learn about storing, changing and disposing of fuel and oil here. | Find your local free waste oil drop off here.
What: Check that rain gutter down-pipes are not connected to the sewer system.
Why:Drains that collect wastewater from sinks and toilets must not collect rainwater because during heavy rain sewers can become full and overflow. This may lead to raw sewage getting into the stormwater system, streams and rivers.
What: Wash out water-based paint brushes over an inside sink or lawn.
Why: Many paints contain chemicals (pigments, spreaders and stickers) that can harm aquatic life, but most can be broken down naturally in the soil. Choose Environmental Choice certified paint products.
Learn how to avoid and dispose of waste paint here.
What: Oil-based paint should be wash out in a container with thinners.
Why: Never pour paint, thinners or household chemicals down the drain or into streams. Unused paint and thinners can be taken to be recycled at Domestic Hazardous Waste Drop-offs located at most transfer stations.
Learn how to avoid and dispose of waste paint here.
What: Sweep instead of hosing driveways, paths and roads of leaves and lawn clippings for composting. Green waste can easily be composted at home or by using council provided services.
Why: Sweeping uses less water and reduces dirt entering our waterways. Green waste can easily wash into streams, clogging channels, and as the organic matter breaks down it can lower the oxygen levels of the stream and emit methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.
Learn about composting at home here | See composting options for everyone from those on lifestyle blocks to apartments | Check out worm farms.
What: When building or renovating check that you or your contractor have systems in place to stop sediment entering stormwater drains and waterways.
Why: Make sure you are using correct environmental practices when building. Your plans and building consent should include information or site requirements to avoid this happening. You as the site owner and your contractor(s) are responsible for ensuring the systems are in place and operating correctly. (Under The Building Act property owners need to protect other property and stormwater drains from erosion and sediment).
What: Limit the use of artificial fertiliser (Urea) and apply only the amount recommended by manufacturers.
Why: When artificial fertilisers wash out of soil and into waterways they can easily disrupt aquatic life and result in unpleasant algal blooms that are harmful to wildlife.
What: Pick up your dog droppings.
Why: Washed into stormwater and waterways they can increase bacteria levels in rivers and streams.
What: Be a tidy kiwi - pick up litter around streets and gutters before it gets into our waterways and don’t dump rubbish.
Why: Litter in gutters gets into streams through the stormwater system. Litter in our streams and rivers makes them look dirty and uncared for. Litter such as plastic bags and cigarette butts can choke animals and illegally dumped rubbish is a hazard for everyone. If you see dumped rubbish please call our 24 hour pollution hotline on 0800 76 55 88.
What: Don't dump rubbish. If you see dumped rubbish please call our 24 hour pollution hotline on 0800 76 55 88.
Why: Illegally dumped rubbish is a hazard for everyone.
Find your local transfer station, resource recovery park or waste exchange here.
What: Plant natives along streams and waterways.
Why: Using native plants along streams helps to reduces erosion, traps contaminants, encourages wildlife and looks great too.
Streamside planting guide.
What: Join a stream care programme to meet others helping to care for our waterways.
Why: Find a group near you.