Miami-Dade County has done many things to protect our water supply from contamination and protect the water you drink. 

The first line of defense is a program of mandatory permits and inspections of businesses that use chemicals that could harm our groundwater. 

The second line of defense is a network of groundwater monitoring wells.  These wells, located throughout the county in strategic spots, act as an early warning system for pollution that could threaten to enter the giant freshwater wells that feed the County's drinking water plants. 

Also, the County spends millions of dollars every year cleaning up contaminated areas in order to remove known pollution threats.

But which is better - detecting and cleaning up pollution that's already made its way into our groundwater, or preventing it from happening in the first place? 

Stop and think before you pour anything on the ground!  That includes all that nasty stuff in your garage that hasn't been used in years, the cleaning chemicals for your house, automotive fluids, and even fertilizers and pesticides (a big pollution problem). 

There are special programs that have been set up to help you get rid of these potentially polluting items.  Call the Miami-Dade Solid Waste Department at 305-597-1768 to find out about disposal options for most of your household chemicals and other waste. 

For more information on alternatives to chemicals in your home, call the DERM Pollution Prevention Program at 305-372-6784.

•   Wellfields Map   (6 MB)