Clean Water Practices

• Check your winter snow removal and salting.  Be wary of contractors that base their fees on how much salt they use.  This fee structure incentivizes excessive salt application. Check out this model contract for snow removal.  One teaspoon of salt permanently pollutes 5 gallons of water and affects all aquatic life in the receiving waterbody.  It also affects your parking lot and sidewalks.  Each ton of salt used results in an estimated $1573 in damages to pavement, cars and entryway floors.  Look for a contractor that is certified/trained in salting practices by checking the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Smart Salting Level 1 Certification list.  Make sure you click on the out of state tab to find contractors in Wisconsin.  Using less salt in the winter will save you money in repairs and maintenance in the long run and have an immediate savings on salt purchases.

• If you do your own snow removal, even if it is only sidewalks, you may want to consider taking the Smart Salting training and certification course.  You will learn how to calculate and apply the appropriate amount of salt and how to properly document your work for litigation protection.  Find a class.  Learn more about the impacts of salt at Wisconsin Salt Wise.   If employees also help with clearing sidewalks, remember to engage them in the process.

• Use rain gardens to capture stormwater from rooftops or parking areas, and soak it into the ground instead of letting it become runoff.  The most difficult part of planning a rain garden is having enough space.  The size of the garden depends on the size of the area draining to it, so some can be quite large.   Visit the DNR website for more specific guidance on how to size and install a rain garden.

• Take a look at your lawn and grounds maintenance.  If this is something that you contract for, be sure you know what they are putting on your grass.   Look for a contractor that is testing the soil and following recommended applications based on the soil test.  Consider creating a nutrient management plan for your turf.  This is required in NR-151 for all areas of turfgrass 5 acres or larger.  It is a good practice for anyone, regardless of the size of their lawn.  Following a plan insures that only necessary fertilizer is used, reducing the chance of fertilizer contaminated runoff and unnecessary expenditures for fertilizer.  If you are fertilizing, be sure your fertilizer adds potassium through potassium sulfate and not potash (potassium chloride).  Fertilizers are another major source of chlorides in our environment and waterways.

• Consider planting native plants whenever possible.  Native plants are adapted to our soils, pests and climate.  This means they don’t need fertilizer, pesticides and additional watering.  They will also provide food and habitat to our native birds, bees and butterflies. 

As your business grows, if you begin looking at building and adding on, be sure to have the proper permits.  Start with your local municipality to find out what you need.  The County does issue stormwater and erosion control permits in some areas of the County.  Find all the permits and checklists online.  Remember that any new development creates more runoff.  Always look for ways to infiltrate water and reduce runoff, like green infrastructure.

Consider participating in the DNR Green Tiers program, a program that acknowledges businesses that green their bottom line.  The Wisconsin Sustainable business program also hosts the Green Masters Program to help you score your business to look for areas of improvement.