Lee County educates residents on impacts of runoff

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Rezul -- As Southwest Florida's rainy season begins to ramp up, Lee County Government encourages residents in unincorporated areas to be aware of the county's fertilizer ordinance and be cognizant of how their actions can impact the environment around them.

Pet waste and fertilizer runoff from lawns are among the factors that collectively impact Southwest Florida.

Over-fertilization damages ecosystems throughout Florida by:

• Exacerbating red tide and harmful algal blooms.
• Causing nitrogen or phosphorus pollution in waterways.
• Contributing to an overgrowth of vegetation – such as invasive plants – in inappropriate locations where it can restrict flow ways and hamper flood control.

Reducing runoff can be made easy with a few simple steps:

• Redirect downspouts, gutters and irrigation onto pervious surfaces, like lawns, and toward plants or landscaped areas; be sure to follow Lee County's irrigation schedule, available at LeeGov.com/NaturalResources/WaterSmart.
• Use a rain barrel to catch rainwater from their roofs and as a result reduce stormwater runoff. The collected water can then be used to water landscapes and lawns. To reduce mosquitos near your home, purchase a mosquito screen to go atop the barrel. Not only do rain barrels reduce pollution and runoff, but they also help to decrease erosion. Rain barrels should have an overflow, which should direct water to a pervious surface.
• Pick up pet waste, which contains high nitrogen and phosphorus content. It also carries illness-causing pathogens and bacteria and can spread parasites when washed into waterways. Don't let pet waste sit for more than a few days and always pick up your pet's waste in public spaces.

Lee County's fertilizer ban continues through Sept. 30. Abide by the Fertilize Smart guidelines by avoiding fertilization during the summer months and opt for an alternative, such as compost. Outside of the summer months, homeowners and professional landscapers should follow the year-round Fertilize Smart guidelines by maintaining 10 feet of distance between fertilized areas and waterways, sweeping spilled granules – not rinsing – and not fertilizing if rain is in the forecast.

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Lee County has released a brief public survey for residents that focuses on how homeowners fertilize their lawns and awareness of fertilizer guidelines, regulations and impacts. To complete the survey, visit https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sv/c7gTE9y/fertilizesmart by June 19.

To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter here: www.leegov.com/resources/newsletters and follow on social media: www.leegov.com/socialmedia.