If you search the internet for articles about the status of Virginia's waterways, the reports are kind of shocking-and scary. Here are just a few topics:

• Eighty percent of two fish species in the Shenandoah River have been killed off in what the industry terms a "fish kill". A task force is studying the sick fish with lesions on their bodies to determine what is causing them to die.
• Mercury levels are high enough to issue a health warning about consuming fish found in many rivers, swamps and streams in Virginia.
• More than a third of the Chesapeake Bay is a low-oxygen "dead zone", meaning the water is so polluted that no fish are found.

This is actually just one week's worth of news. It seems that the state of our waterways is cause for concern. Luckily there are things that all of us can do to help prevent water pollution. Our friends at Earth 911 offer the following advice. (Earth 911 also lists many CVWMA program drop off sites where you can recycle materials like used motor oil, pesticides, fertilizers, paints, solvents and yard waste- all things that help protect our waterways.)

Who causes water pollution? People like you and me! You see, when rain or water from garden hoses and sprinklers flows over our streets and yards, it carries pollutants into the storm drains; pollutants like motor oil, pesticides, paints, grass clippings, and pet waste. In most places, whatever goes down a storm drain flows directly - without treatment - into local creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to the ocean, threatening water quality for humans and wildlife. Here's the good news - you are the solution to water pollution! Find out more information about the following contaminants or how to recycle them:

Used motor oil and oil filters
Pesticides
Fertilizers
Paints and solvents
Yard and grass clippings
Pet waste

If you would like more information on how to conserve water during these hot summer months, check out the Water Conservation section.