Water Quality

PLEASE NOTE: The Department of Public Health has returned to its 1650 Boone's Lick Road office and is now open for appointments and public services..

For assistance with Division of Environmental Health and Protection programs, please call 636-949-1800.

Please be aware that building restrictions are in place. Upon entrance to any County building, employees and the public are encouraged to wear cloth facial protection, and everyone is required to have a health screening, including temperature check, before entering. Those with a fever or who have other COVID-19 symptoms will not be permitted to enter the building.

This website will be updated daily, when necessary, to reflect any changes in facility or department services. The public is encouraged to continue accessing County Government services by phone, email and online when available. Thank you.

We hope that you will remain healthy and safe, and we thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Keeping Our Water Clean

Pure water is essential to all life on Earth, which — like our bodies — is 70 percent water. Here are tips that you and your family or business can follow to help keep our water clean:

Prevent erosion (sediment is the #1 pollutant of local waterways).
Properly dispose of waste and pick up litter that may end up in local waterways.
Never pour chemicals or hazardous materials on the ground or into sewers.
Landscape with native plants to minimize the need for fertilizers and pesticides.
Protect wetlands, which serve as a buffer against pollutants, erosion and flooding.
Report any suspicious dumping or activity to the Division of Environmental Health and Protection at 636-949-1800.
Form a Stream Team in your community.

Streams & Watersheds

Everyone lives in a watershed, the land that drains into a stream, creek, river or ocean. Watersheds come in different sizes and shapes. Within each watershed, all water runs to the lowest point-a stream, river, or lake. Water travels over the surface across farms, streets, and suburban lawns, or it seeps into the soil and travels as groundwater. Large watersheds like ones for the Mississippi River and Missouri River are made up of many smaller watersheds, such as the Dardenne, Femme Osage and Big creeks here in St. Charles County.

Stormwater

Stormwater is generated by water runoff from land and impervious areas (streets, lawns, farms, parking lots, rooftops, construction sites, etc.). Stormwater pollution is caused by our daily activities. Rain and snowmelt run off and pick up oil, fertilizers, pesticides, dirt and other pollutants on the way to our creeks, rivers and lakes. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stormwater runoff is our most common cause of water pollution, which can make it unsafe for drinking, fishing or swimming.

Problem	Effect on Water Quality	Easy Solutions
Lawn Care Products	Fertilizer accelerates growth of aquatic plant life, which robs waterways of oxygen when they decay. Pesticides and herbicides create adverse effects on fish and water bugs, a vital component of aquatic food chain.	Don't apply lawn chemicals just before it rains. Follow instructions on the label carefully to prevent over-application. Target your use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer; sweep up excess if it's in solid form. Use native vegetation and grasses that don't require as much fertilizer and water! Visit Grow Native! Bring your old chemicals to a free chemical collection!
Cleaning Products	Cleaning products (including those you might use to wash your car) are toxic to fish, stimulate algae and plant growth, and upset the ecosystem by impacting animal life.	Use a commercial car wash, or wash your car on the lawn with a biodegradable soap. Bring leftover products to Recycle Works for safe disposal.
Yard Waste	Grass clippings, leaves and flowers clog storm drains, cause erosion along stream banks, and robs streams of oxygen as they decay. Dirt, dust and sand bury fish food and cloud the water, affecting the ability of fish to feed.	Mulch or compost your yard clippings. Sweep dirt onto the lawn. Place debris in the trash.
Pet Waste	Pet waste releases bacteria, diseases and viruses into streams where our children play.	Pick-up pet waste. Flush it down the toilet or bag it and place in the trash.
Paint & Automotive Fluids	Dyes and paints can interfere with the ability of fish to breathe, plants to grow, and water bugs to reproduce. Antifreeze is poisonous to plants and animals, and seriously depletes oxygen in the water. Paint, dirt, dust and dyes can damage fish gills, as well as reduce growth and reproduction of fish and other aquatic organisms.	Never pour these down a storm drain or into a gutter! Dispose of dry and/or empty oil-based and water-based paint containers and brushes in the garbage. Bring oil, antifreeze and other hazardous fluids to Recycle Works for proper disposal. Bring excess fertilizer, pesticides, paint and other chemicals to Recycle Works for proper disposal. Keep cars and gas-powered lawn mowers or blowers well-tuned, so they are not dripping toxic fluids or emitting toxic fumes.