Waterways and lakes in and near urban areas can be polluted by soil erosion and water runoff that may contain fertilizers and pesticides from landscapes, oil, and sewage. Trees and vegetation can help reduce water quality problems in communities by decreasing stormwater runoff and soil erosion. Trees also absorb some of the nutrients in the soil that would otherwise be washed away. Communities can have cleaner water by managing existing natural vegetation, planting additional trees, and reducing the use of …