Backyard Conversation
Connecting Community + Conservation
| |
Welcome to Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District's Backyard Conversation newsletter! Each month, we will share a conservation topic from a more personal viewpoint for our readers and residents. Thanks for reading! | |
|
Keeping E. coli Out of Our Waterways
How You Can Help at Home
| |
|
Happy November! At the District, we are feeling grateful for the excellent year we have had, and we are extra grateful for our readers and partners. With your support, we had over 3,100 residents participate in Community Backyards this year and issued over 1,800 rebates!
Find local fall hikes, programs, and events at our local Metro Parks. Check out the ODNR Fall Color Guide for statewide color reports, foliage updates, featured locations and activities.
What is E. coli and why is it a problem for our waterways?
E. coli or Escherichia coli is a bacteria that lives in the lower intestines of many warm-blooded animals. It can sometimes be found in waterways, and large amounts of it are an indicator that human sewage and/or animal waste have contaminated the water. Even though it can be a natural part of our lower intestinal gut bacteria, it can cause humans to fall ill with a typically short-lived stomach bug illness if it's ingested.
| |
A leaking septic system discharging into a nearby waterway | |
|
Where Sewage Goes
The majority of sewage in Columbus and Franklin County is treated by Columbus Public Utilities at their wastewater treatment plants (Jackson Pike and Southerly). Check out this video from the City of Columbus for an overview of the process.
| |
|
How Sewage Enters Our Waterways
In the majority of Franklin County, we have separate storm sewers and sanitary sewers. This keeps our stormwater separate from our sewage. The stormwater flows directly to waterways untreated, and the sanitary sewage goes to the sewer plant for treatment.
However, in some older parts of Franklin County, there are combined sewers. Combined sewers were designed over a century ago, before we knew better, and they were NOT designed to accommodate today's population and precipitation. In a combined sewer, during a big rain event, sanitary sewage can overflow into the storm sewer and enter waterways. This event is called a combined sewer overflow (CSO). CSOs are unfortunately a big source of e. Coli in our waterways. This problem is not unique to Columbus and Franklin County though. According to USEPA, there are over 700 communities across the United States with at least one combined sewer.
The City of Columbus Department of Public Utilities is working hard to reduce CSOs via their Blueprint Columbus project. It is a massive project that tackles the issue from multiple angles: upgrading storm sewer capacities, installing rain gardens and pervious pavement, upgrading sumps pumps to reduce basement backups, and more. If you live in a Blueprint neighborhood, you may be eligible for a free sump pump through their program! Learn more about the project at BlueprintNeighborhoods.com
| |
Other sources of E. coli in our waterways are pet waste, especially dog poop, and leaking or failing septic systems. | |
|
Help Keep E. coli Out of Waterways
There are a few steps you can take to help keep E. coli out of our waterways.
-
Pick Up Poop. Clean up pet waste regularly and frequently. Dog poop is VERY high in E. coli, so please pick up poop, and dispose of it in the trash.
-
Septic Smart. If you have a septic tank, keep it maintained and pump it out every 3 years. Leaky septic tanks can discharge human sewage, so it's very important to keep them well maintained and improves the longevity of your system.
-
We <3 Buffers. If your property has a body of water or is located near one, maintain a vegetative buffer of at least a few feet around the waterway or on your property. The more buffer, the better. Buffers are excellent at capturing and reducing pollution and contaminants that would otherwise enter the body of water. Plants are natural filters.
| |
|
Upcoming Events
Check out these events from the District and our partners. Fall is a great time for planting new native plants and removing invasives, so there are lots of volunteer events coming up. Interested in a monthly digest of volunteer events around the county? Sign up for our Monthly Volunteer Newsletter!
Columbus Rec & Parks Driving Park Invasive Removal - Saturday November 2, 9am-12pm @ Driving Park
FLOW Kempton Run Tree Planting - Saturday November 2, 9am-12pm @ 957 Stoney Creek Rd
New Albany Community Backyards Workshop: Native Plants & Invasive Trade-In Program - Monday November 4, 6-7:30pm @ Columbus Library New Albany Branch
Grandview Fall Fest - Thursday November 7, 4-7pm @ Wyman Woods Park. Find FSWCD and take the PUP pledge for a free giveaway!
FACT & Sustainable Westerville Honeysuckle Removal - Friday November 8, 9am-11am @ Westerville Hoff Woods Park
FACT Tree Planting - Saturday November 9, 10am-2pm @ Pathways Park (4475 Sunbury Rd) with Final Third Foundation
FLOW Island View Tree Planting - Sunday November 10, 12-3pm @ 382 Westview Ave
FACT Annual Meeting: What Has Nature Ever Done For Us? - Wednesday November 13, 6:15-8:30pm @ Columbus Library Karl Road Branch
Columbus Rec & Parks/Franklin County Pollinator Pathway Pollinator Habitat Seeding - Saturday November 16, 10am-12pm @ Clinton-Como Park
Sharon Woods Invasive Plant Removal - Saturday November 16, 9am-12pm @ Sharon Woods Annehurst Connector Trail
Columbus Rec & Parks Mock Park Invasive Removal - Saturday November 23, 10am-12pm @ Mock Park
| |
|
Yardening Tips from Lonnie the Garden Gnome
Consider these November "yardening" tips.
- Fall is a great time to plant native trees due to the cooler weather. Remember to water newly planted plants, especially trees, until dormancy.
-
Remember to disconnect your rain barrel diverter hose and install the winterization plug in your downspout before it gets too cold. Disconnecting is best to prevent your rain barrel from being full of water that freezes, leading to cracking or busting the plastic. If you need a replacement plug, search for "EarthMinded winterization plug" at EarthMindedRainBarrels.com, RainBarrelParts.com, and more.
- Leave the leaves! Leaves are packed full of nutrients, and leaving them on your lawn and gardens will put the nutrients back into the soil. Keep them out of storm drains though. We want the nutrients in our soil, not our waterways.
| |
| Do you prefer planting native plants in the spring, summer or fall? | | | |
Mikaela Mohr
Outreach Program Specialist
Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District
1404 Goodale Blvd. Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43212
| | | | |
