Preventing Pollution from Fertilizer

June 25, 2019 2:27 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

While the majority of homes in the United States get their water from municipal water systems, there are still millions of homes that rely on private wells for their drinking water. Any home that relies on a private well must take the appropriate measures to ensure that their water remains free of contaminants that could become harmful in certain quantities.

Lawn fertilizer is one example of a substance that could contaminate well water, making it important to be smart with how you use it. While well water testing in Monroe, NC can help to give you some extra peace of mind that your water is drinkable, it’s also a good idea to be careful when using fertilizer to avoid contamination. Here are some tips to follow:

  • Store the fertilizer properly: Even when you’re not using fertilizer, it’s important to avoid letting it become a potential contaminant to your well water. You should always keep it in a sealed off, secure location that can’t be accessed by animals, kids or the elements. Ideally this will be a covered, well-ventilated area. Use two methods of containment, just in case the first fails and a spill occurs. It’s a good idea to keep it in an area that has a hard, impermeable floor, such as a garage or shed.
  • Be careful with your mixing and loading: The mixing and loading process can occasionally involve spills, and the more frequently you perform these processes, the more spills build up over time and the more likely it is that the fertilizer will end up in your groundwater. You should always try to perform your mixing and loading over a special impermeable pad, or at least avoid mixing near wellheads. Try to switch up where you perform your mixing as well, so if spills do happen, they don’t always occur in the same place.
  • Dispose of your containers properly: Bulk fertilizer purchases usually see containers disposed of by the manufacturer. However, if you use bagged fertilizers, it’s important that you make sure you dispose of those containers at landfills away from your home and other water sources.
  • Know what to do if a spill happens: Be prepared for spills to happen, and have a plan in place to address them. Small spills aren’t usually going to be a problem unless you choose not to clean them up. Both dry and liquid spills should be dealt with as soon as possible. You can simply follow the instructions on the packaging in most cases.
  • Know how to apply the fertilizer: If you apply the proper amounts of fertilizer and spread it appropriately, the risk of contamination drops way down. If you use too much fertilizer, it won’t be absorbed by the soil, meaning it will run off and potentially leak into your well. Therefore, be careful about how much you’re using and how you’re spreading it.

For more information about preventing fertilizer pollution, or to schedule well water testing in Monroe, NC, reach out to Love Well & Pump Supply, LLC today.

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