“Protecting and Conserving our Water”

“Protecting and Conserving our Water”

City of Hollywood Department of Public Utilities

To prevent pollution,
place litter in trash cans,
not canals and lakes.

Erosion, which is the washing away of soil,
can cause water pollution. Be careful not to
cause erosion along canal and lake banks.

Try to keep yard debris out of
canals and lakes. When it
decays, fish and wildlife could
become sick.

Protecting Our Water

Fresh water is scarce in South Florida. That’s why protecting our canals and lakes from

pollution is a big job and an important job for everyone. Clean Water Cadets and

their families can help protect our water by following these simple tips:

Use only as much lawn fertilizer and
pesticides (bug killer) as you need. Try not
to use these items during the rainy season
because they may wash off into storm drains.

Try to keep soapsuds from reaching

storm drains. The foaming action may

create water quality problems.

Washing your car on the lawn will

reduce pollution.

Hello Boys and
Girls

Hi, my name is Officer
Marty and I am with the
City of Hollywood’s Clean
Water Cadets. The Cadets
and I are here to show you
how you can help protect
and conserve our water
supply.

We will show you how
water gets to your home
and where it goes to get
cleaned after it leaves your
house.

At the end of our tour, we’ll
do a fun crossword puzzle
to see how much you’ve
learned. We’ve also
provided some cool
stickers you can use on a
fun project at home with
Mom and Dad.

Enjoy your tour and
remember — water is one
of our most precious
resources. Let’s save it!

Officer Marty

Taking shorter
showers can save
5 to 7 gallons of
water per minute.

Don’t throw trash such as toys, rags
or paper down the toilet. This can
save 3 to 5 gallons of water per flush.

Do not dispose of toxic materials such as paint,
motor oil, gasoline or cleaners down the drain.

Only run the washing machine when
you have full loads. This can save 20
to 60 gallons of water.

Conserving Our Water

Whenever you use water around your home, you create wastewater that needs to be
treated or cleaned. Water conservation reduces the amount of fresh water that needs
to be pumped from the wells to your home. Clean Water Cadets and their families
can help conserve water by following these tips:

Turn off water
when brushing
your teeth.
This can save
3 gallons of
water per minute.

Make sure your faucets are properly
closed. A leaking faucet can waste up
to 20 gallons of water per day.

Like a washing machine, only run
the dishwasher when it is full. This
can save 20-60 gallons of water.

Treatment Of Our Water

Miles of underground pipes carry clean, clear water to your homes for drinking, washing,
watering lawns and other uses. Other underground pipes remove wastewater and sewage
from homes and businesses. This wastewater is sent to the wastewater treatment plant.

A leaky hose wastes water.

Manhole

Wastewater/

sewage from homes

The manhole in the street
is there for your safety.
DO NOT lift or enter.

Water Pump
Station

Water pumps use pressure
to move clean water to all
parts of the city.

Wastewater
Lift Station

Lift stations move sewage/wastewater
to the wastewater treatment plant from
all parts of the city.

Clean water pumped to homes.

Clean water from
water treatment plant.

Wastewater leaving to go to
wastewater treatment plant.

Wastewater from homes.

Pump

Pump

Water Treatment Plant

The water treatment process begins at
the water plant. Follow the arrows along
the distribution path.

The cleaned water can be recycled onto golf courses,
city parks or released into the ocean, 2 miles offshore.

Hollywood’s Water

The water in your home originally comes from wells in the ground. This water is treated at
the Water Plant and made safe for drinking before being sent to water towers for storage.
Every time water is used, we change it by adding wastes like soap, food scraps, and the
stuff you put down sinks and toilets. This dirty water is cleaned at the Wastewater Treatment
Plant and it can then be recycled onto golf courses or put back into the water cycle.

Wells

Wells are used to draw
water from the aquifers
(underground water
supply).

Sewer pipes carry wastewater from
your home and businesses to the
Wastewater Treatment Plant.

After screening,
wastewater
flows into a grit
chamber, where
heavy particles
like sand,
gravel, and dirt
sink to the
bottom and are
removed.

At the
wastewater
treatment
plant, the dirty
water is first
sent through
a screen. This
screen removes
large objects
like rags, toys,
and rocks from
the

Some of the
cleaned water
passes through
a sand filter,
removing even
more waste.

During secondary
treatment, the
wastewater is
mixed in tanks
with oxygen and
“good bacteria”.
These “good bugs”
eat waste, thereby
cleaning the water.
Solids, called
sludge, are also
removed in this
step.

Chlorine is added to
the water in the final
step. This process kills
harmful bacteria and is
called disinfection.

City of Hollywood
Water Storage Tower

Sewer Pipe

5

3

4

6

7

8

9

DOWN

1. Good little bacteria that help break

down and eat the waste from water.

4. Layers of sand that water passes

through to remove waste.

5. The process in which water is cleaned

and purified.

8. It is against the law to pour _________

materials down the drain.

ACROSS

3. Not harmful.
6. A big grate which removes large

objects from wastewater.

7. The solids that are removed from

wastewater (rhymes with fudge).

9. Water which has been used.

(Answers on opposite page)

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You can protect the environment by being aware of anything that could harm our water.
With your parent(s), search your home and garage for the items listed below that could
pollute our water.

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When you find them, check them off and place a Clean Water Cadet sticker on the
container as a reminder to properly dispose of the items when you are finished with them.

CLEAN WATER CADETS

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Bug Spray

Antifreeze

Brake Fluid

Used Motor Oil / Transmission Fluid

Gasoline / Diesel Fuel

Paints

Furniture Polish

Paint Thinner/Varnish

Fertilizer

Weed Killer

Rat Poison

Dry Cleaning Solvents

Swimming Pool Chemicals

Household Cleaners

Puzzle Answers

Down: 1. bugs 4. filter 5. treatment 8. toxic Across: 3. safe 6. screen 7. sludge 9. wastewater

Mara S. Giulianti, Mayor

Peter Bober,
Vice Mayor - District 6

Cathleen A. Anderson,
Commissioner - District 1

Beam Furr, Commissioner - District 2

Sal Oliveri, Commissioner - District 3

Keith Wasserstrom, Commissioner - District 4

Fran Russo, Commissioner - District 5

Cameron D. Benson - City Manager

Daniel L. Abbott - City Attorney

Whitfield R. Van Cott, P.E., Director

City of Hollywood Department of Public Utilities
3441 Hollywood Boulevard, Third Floor
Hollywood, Florida 33022

For further information contact the
Department of Public Utilities at [phone]
or visit our website www.hollywoodfl.org

This publication is provided compliments of

the City of Hollywood Department of Public Utilities