Knowledge Base

1. Remove trash and bottles by hand from a wetland resource area. 2. Dispose of yard waste somewhere else, such as the City's recycling center; or set up a compost pile away from the resource area. The leaves and grass will decompose to become your best soil. 3. Near the resource area, set up a small brush pile or two made of branches from yard waste. Brush piles make good wildlife cover. 4. Don't dump motor oil into street drains. What goes into the drains and the ground in Haverhill eventually goes into the Merrimack River, and, in many areas, our drinking water supply. Proper disposal of oil is available at the store where you purchased it or at the City's recycling center. 5. Don't dump anything that pollutes. 6. Avoid or minimize the use of de-icing salt near resource areas and drainage systems. Many stores carry more nature-friendly alternatives. 7. Avoid or minimize the use of fertilizers and poisons near resource areas and drainage systems. Some fertilizers can cause algae blooms in our surface waters. Some poisons can impact the plants and wildlife in the resource areas. 8. Make use of drywells for drainage to avoid heavy runoff into our watercourses from roofs and paving. The use of drywells also recharges the groundwater table by infiltrating rainwater. 9. Maintain your septic system properly. Contact the Haverhill Health Department for more information on proper septic system maintenance, such as pumping needs and the impacts of chemicals and hazardous wastes on important system microorganisms. 10. When washing your car, direct the rinse water away from wetland resource areas and drainage systems. 11. If you have an underground storage tank for home heating oil, have it tested to ensure it is not leaking through the soil and into the groundwater. 12. Talk to your neighbor if your neighbor is inadvertently impacting a resource area. 13. Report violations to the Conservation Department.