Septic leaks, fertilizer run-off targets of Lee water clean-up efforts
Bill SmithThe legacy of the blue-green algae and red tide crises that hit Lee County last summer may be a realization that residents have a role in resolving the region's water problems just like big business, big government and big agriculture.
Runoff from septic systems and the use of fertilizer in rainy season send bloom-feeding nutrients into the water, making a mess of rivers, lakes, canals and the Gulf of Mexico. That problem drew attention from Lee County commissioners in separate, but related discussions Tuesday.
Commissioners decided not to have its lobbyists in Tallahassee press for legislation to restore a law enacted in 2010, and repealed two years later, requiring inspection of septic tanks.
Only Commissioner John Manning opposed lopping mandatory inspections from an update to the county's priorities for this year's legislative session.
"This is important," Manning said.
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Commissioners opted for more talk about finding grants and state aid to hook up buildings now on septic systems to sewer systems, instead of backing proposals to require septic tanks to be pumped out and inspected in five-year intervals.
County Manager Roger Desjarlais noted that the commission has not had specific discussion about how the state could even enforce a mandatory septic pumping requirement.
The legislation that was on the books for two years beginning in 2010 was repealed after residents complained about the cost of pumping tanks based on the calendar, rather than on when they are full.
"We keep kicking this down the proverbial road," said Commissioner Frank Mann, who joined four colleagues in keeping mandatory septic inspection off the legislative priority list.
"There was a very good purpose to it at the time, but the implementation and the expense of it became very controversial," Mann said.
Chemical and petroleum-based fertilizer spread at the height of the rainy season to encourage greening of grass and growth of crops is often swept into bodies of water during downpours, causing algae blooms to multiply and spread.
Lee has an actual no-fertilizer-use blackout period in mid-summer but many are unaware of it.
Commissioner Brian Hamman said at town meetings last summer, during the peak of the algae and red tide crisis, lack of understanding became apparent.
"Last summer we heard over and over again 'Why doesn't Lee County have a fertilizer ordinance?'" Hamman said. "We do; we have a blackout period in the rainy season — people were hearing about it for the first time, people were screaming that we need a fertilizer ban and we have had one since 2008."
Huge displays of fertilizer products in big box hardware stores may be leading to a perception among transplants that it's OK to fertilize in Florida the same as in northern locations, where droughts are more common than flooding in the dog days of summer.
"It's a great ordinance and it says do not pollute by fertilizer in July and August when the rain is coming down," Mann said. "We had no public outreach to deal with Home Depot and Lowe's and telling anybody who sells fertilizer not to sell it at that time of year."
Assistant County Manager Dave Harner asked for an extension of a publicity campaign to spread the word about spreading fertilizer, involving more education in the schools and more community outreach.
Hamman, who began his professional career in the mass media, wanted a "more robust program" that can be tested with surveys to see how well the message is being understood.
Commissioners asked the county administration to work up additional plans.
"We have a huge problem in the county," Commission Chairman Larry Kiker said. "I don't think we have done a true estimate of what is in front of us — I encourage that discussion."
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