You can also prevent water pollution by reducing the use of chemical pesticides, fertilizers and cleaning products as well as by picking up pet waste.

Storm drains found in our streets and yards empty into Chippewa Lake. So, when we fertilize our lawn we are also fertilizing the lake. While fertilizer is good for our lawn, it’s bad for our water. Fertilizer in our lake is one of the triggers that causes algae to grow.  Scotts Miracle-Gro has removed phosphorus from its popular Turf Builder line of lawn fertilizer to help reduce the type of harmful algae blooms that have plagued waterways such as Grand Lake St. Mary’s, Lake Erie and our own Chippewa Lake. Scotts researchers learned that there is enough phosphorus in most soils to grow healthy turf, especially when grass clippings are left on lawns.We are encouraging all home owners in the Chippewa Lake watershed to use phosphorus free fertilizers on their lawns. If you apply it yourself, look for phosphorus free fertilizers.  You can be sure you are getting a zero-phosphorus product by checking the N-P-K nutrient mix on the bags. The “P” in the mix stands for the amount of phosphorus it contains. A phosphorus-free product would list this value as “0”.

We are encouraging all home owners in the Chippewa Lake watershed to use phosphorus free fertilizers on their lawns. If you apply it yourself, look for phosphorus free fertilizers.  You can be sure you are getting a zero-phosphorus product by checking the N-P-K nutrient mix on the bags. The “P” in the mix stands for the amount of phosphorus it contains. A phosphorus-free product would list this value as “0”.