Stormwater Self Test

Instructions
Choose the answer that best describes your personal habits. If a question does not apply, answer what you would most likely do in that situation. Do not leave any questions blank.

Use the number of your answer as its point value. Add up your points for all 10 questions and check your rating at the end.

A. Litter habits:
  1. I sometimes litter
  2. I never litter and usually recycle
  3. No. 2 above plus I have participated in a neighborhood, park or river cleanup
B. Storm drains:
  1. I have put pet waste, trash, yard waste, oil, or paint down a storm drain
  2. I never dispose of anything down a storm drain
  3. No. 2 above plus I sweep leaves and debris away from nearby storm drains
C. After my lawn is mowed, the grass clippings are:
  1. Collected and tossed onto the road-side, a stream bank, or vacant land
  2. Collected and used as compost, mulch or disposed of as yard waste
  3. Left in place on the lawn
D. The following approach is used when fertilizing my lawn:
1) The more fertilizer, the better, and leave overspread where it is
2) Follow the guidelines on the fertilizer bag, and sweep up overspread
3) Use fertilizer only as needed or not at all, and avoid any overspread
E. I manage steep slopes on my property by:
  1. Ignoring any runoff that washes off and erodes the slope
  2. Channeling rainwater away from the slope to where it can slowly seep into the ground
  3. Maintaining native vegetation on the slope to stop erosion
F. When walking my dog, I usually:
  1. Leave the waste where it is or drop it down a storm drain
  2. Move the waste to a less traveled location such as a field or woods
  3. Pick up the waste and dispose of it down the toilet or in the trash
G. Most of the rainwater running off my roof is directed to flow:
  1. Down the driveway
  2. Onto my lawn or garden(s)
  3. Into a rain barrel
H. I typically wash my car:
  1. In my driveway where the wash water flows into the street
  2. On my lawn where the wash water can seep into the soil
  3. At a commercial car-wash where the wash water is recycled and treated
I. Car care:
  1. I ignore fluid leaks from my car for as long as possible
  2. I check for fluid leaks and repair them promptly
  3. No. 2 above plus I follow my car's complete maintenance schedule
J. My driveway is made of:
  1. Asphalt or a similar non-porous pavement
  2. Sand or gravel
  3. Porous or permeable pavement

Score Your Answers

Score Description
1-10

By greening up your stormwater habits, you will significantly help to improve the water quality in our community.
11-20 You're already helping to improve local water quality, but you can still do more.
21-30 Congratulations on being a good stormwater citizen. Please keep up the good work, educate others and strive for all 30 points.
Produced by the SuAsCo Watershed Community Council.

For more information please visit the Natick stormwater website or SuAsCo.