National Water Quality Month
Published on July 31, 2025

Keeping Our Lakes and Streams Safe for Recreational Fun
August is National Surface Water Quality Month, a time to recognize the value of our rivers, lakes, and streams, and a reminder to help keep them clean. These surface waters are where we swim, fish, kayak, let our dogs cool off, and watch our kids splash and explore. When surface water quality is compromised, it can put people, pets and wildlife at risk. This article provides simple steps we can all take to protect our local waterways and ensure summer recreation is safe and fun for everyone.
Why Surface Water Quality Matters
Whether you're spending the day on the lake, splashing in a stream, or fishing from the bank, you're connecting with local water, and clean water is essential. It’s not just about protecting the environment, it’s about protecting public health, too. Good water quality helps reduce the risk of illness from bacteria or harmful algal blooms, especially during the warmer months when we’re outside enjoying our waterways.
How Do I Know If the Water Is Safe?
Did you know that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services routinely tests surface waters across the county for bacteria and other pollutants? This monitoring is used to help inform the public about swim advisories and alerts to keep everyone safe. Here are three ways you can stay informed and be an extra set of eyes to help protect our local waters:
1. Sign up for Swim Advisories
Swim advisories are issued for lakes when elevated bacteria levels or harmful algal blooms are detected. Staff do not physically “close” those locations, but warning beacons are placed in the water when alerts are issued and are removed when monitoring indicates conditions are safe. Ignoring the warnings by swimming or wading in contaminated waters could make you or your pets sick. These advisories can be triggered by a variety of conditions like heavy rainfall that carries polluted runoff, sewer spills, or warm temperatures combined with excess nutrients that promote algae growth. Visit our page for more information on surface water quality. To receive swim advisory information text MECKNOSWIM to 888-777 or sign-up.
2. Trust Your Senses: Look, Smell, Report
Pollution advisories are not issued for streams, but people should still use caution when wading in them due to varying pollution levels caused by stormwater runoff, sewage and fuel spills, and illegal dumping.
If you notice any of the following, avoid contact and report it immediately:
- Cloudy or muddy water in dry weather (not preceded by rain)
- Strong or unusual smells (sewage, musty, rotten eggs, gas/chemical)
- Discolored water or rainbow sheen on the surface
- Suspicious looking algae that might be a harmful algal bloom
- Dead aquatic life or wildlife
- Excessive foam in water
Here are three ways to report pollution: Call 311, download the CLT+ app, or fill out the online form.
3. Take Action & Get Involved
Even small everyday actions can make a big difference in preventing surface water pollution. These include:
- Picking up pet waste. It contains bacteria that can wash into streams.
- Going easy on fertilizers and never applying before it rains.
- Composting yard waste or preparing it for collection.
- Never dump anything into storm drains. They flow straight into our streams.
Volunteering is one of the best ways to make a real difference in protecting our local waterways. We host community volunteer events throughout the year, including stream cleanups, storm drain marking, tree planting and more.
Shared Waters, Shared Responsibility
Our lakes and streams are community resources and keeping them clean is a shared responsibility. By staying alert, taking small actions and working together, we can help ensure our waters are safe not just in the warmer months, but all year long.
More information at stormwater.charmeck.org.
The City of Charlotte is committed to making our services and programs accessible to all. To make a reasonable accommodation or language access request, please email StormWaterServicesInfo@charlottenc.gov or call 704-336-4456.