ECCD to plant rain gardens in Niantic River watershed

Stormwater runoff is a major source of pollution. Each time it rains, stormwater picks up and carries a wide variety of pollutants to local rivers and streams and out to Long Island Sound, where they can impact the aquatic habitat and make waters unsafe for swimming, boating, and shell-fishing. These pollutants often result from our everyday activities and include trash, sediment, lawn and garden chemicals like fertilizer, weed killers and pesticides, gasoline, oil and other chemicals from our vehicles, and fecal bacteria from trash, leaky sewer pipes, failing septic systems, and animal waste.

To combat pollution in stormwater runoff, the Eastern Connecticut Conservation District (ECCD) would like to assist property owners who live in the Niantic River watershed in Waterford plant rain gardens. Rain gardens capture polluted runoff from roofs, parking lots, driveways, and sidewalks, and soak it into the ground, filtering out harmful pollutants. ECCD is looking for suitable sites at which to plant the gardens; residential, commercial, municipal, and industrial sites are all eligible.

ECCD has funding through a Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Program grant, administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, to plant the rain gardens. If you are interested in planting a rain garden or want more information, please contact Judy Rondeau at judy.rondeau@comcast.net or Dan Mullins at dan.mullins@comcast.net.

ECCD is a non-profit soil and water conservation organization, serving 36 towns in eastern Connecticut. Learn more about ECCD at www.ConserveCT.org/eastern.