ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — When you are Executive Director of a group called Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, it’s no surprise you are worried about what goes in our waterways from storm drains.
“If it’s carrying any nutrients or any contaminants or plastic bottles or any type of pollution like that. What goes into that storm drain goes directly out into our bay," said Tramble.
Justin Tramble hopes more local governments will put tougher restrictions in place when it comes to rainy-season fertilizer use.
All municipalities around Florida will have that power again beginning July 1st.
“We are fortunate in the Tampa Bay watershed at least, Hillsborough and Pinellas County, that we have fertilizer ordinances in play. And they’ve been successful.”
From June through September, many areas in Florida don’t allow the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers.
And in many places, you can’t buy it during the summer either.
Experts tell us fertilizer and stormwater runoff are to blame for 60% of nitrogen pollution in Tampa Bay.
They say that pollution can lead to red tide, fish kills, and seagrass death.
“In the summer rainy months, the rain doesn’t water the fertilizer in, it washes it away into our bays, the Gulf, and lakes. And it could fuel algae bloom. So we ask you rather than spend the time maintaining your lawn, let it take care of yourself," said Maya Burke, Tampa Bay Estuary Program's Assistant Director
“If I wanted to watch golf or look at a lawn that looks like Augusta National I’ll turn on the TV. I’m here for the mangroves and the seagrass and the wildlife that we have here," said Tramble.
Experts say restrictions in the Tampa Bay Area led to a great improvement in our water clarity, but that declined in recent years for various reasons.
A study from the University of Florida didn’t conclusively show a connection between fertilizer bans and a decrease in water pollution.
But many people say that connection is obvious.
