Starting Sunday, Lee County will ban the use of fertilizer with phosphorus or nitrogen.
The ban will be in effect from June 1 to Sept. 30.
The ban is needed to protect waterways from contamination during the rainy season.
The excess nutrients in the fertilizer can run off into waterways and cause harmful algal blooms or other dangerous reactions in the water.
There are also other ordinances to follow during this season, such as obeying no fertilizer zones ten feet from a waterway, having a low-maintenance buffer zone of six feet, and avoiding leaving fertilizer on outdoor hard surfaces (such as pavement, roads, and sidewalks).
Other ways to protect waterways, other than following the fertilizer ban, include picking up outdoor pet waste and cleaning up grass and vegetation clippings outside.
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