A stream covered in thick, dingy foam may look like pollution, but often it is a natural occurrence. The New Hampshire Estuaries Project (NHEP) has just launched an educational campaign to help people distinguish between pollution incidents and simply odd natural phenomenon. The NHEP has developed a large educational poster, website, bookmark, and 32-page field guide, that are designed to create an informed, watchful citizenry that will act quickly when water resources are threatened.
Field Guide
The water pollution identification field guide describes 22 conditions that can be commonly found in or around surface water in the coastal watershed, including oil sheens, brown water, orange slime, trash, rotten egg smell, and foam. For each condition, likely causes are explained as well as the environmental/social impacts, corrective actions, preventive actions, and resources to learn more about the conditions. Emergency situations are highlighted and clear response procedures are provided.
Poster and Bookmark
The large posters and bookmarks provide pollution reporting information and common pollution conditions, such as gray water that smells of sewage, which suggests a failed septic system or a damaged sewer pipe. In addition to municipal offices, libraries in the 42 coastal watershed communities have recieve the poster and bookmarks.
