Protecting the groundwater

McCook (Neb.) Daily Gazette: Politicians and activists debate the route of the Keystone XL and its potential threat to the Ogallala Aquifer, and the Republican River and the wells around. It’s a source of contention between Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska as well as the Natural Resources Districts involved.

While those issues will have to be settled in the courts and legislatures, there are things we can do as individuals to protect our groundwater.

Some ideas:

Take shorter showers, and don’t overwater your lawn. It may actually be good to let your turf grass experience mild drought conditions.

Install a water-saving device, either on your shower or the sprinklers on your yard.

Establish a take-back program for used motor oil or for pharmaceuticals. You should be able to return used oil to the retailer where you bought it, and other materials can be taken to the household hazardous waste collection point in McCook.