Starting June 1, 2025, Southwest Florida put a stop to nitrogen and phosphorus-based lawn treatments. The ban runs through September 30. Rain washes these chemicals into local waters, so officials acted to keep them clean.
“Excessive nutrients in the waterway, which would be sort of defined as nutrients beyond what the waterway can handle, can exacerbate red tides,” said Lisa Krieger, the Lee County Natural Resources Operations Manager, to WINK News.
Since the late 2000s, strict lawn rules have spread across Florida. More than 100 areas now limit what goes on in yards. The push started after the water turned bad from too many people moving in during the 1990s…