Don’t leave your fallen leaves

Many people don’t realize that leaves are harming our water resources. Surprisingly, organic materials such as leaves and grass clippings do more surface water damage than fertilizers, pesticides or motor oil.

“Leaf litter is full of nutrients, like the phosphorus and nitrogen found in fertilizer,” said City Water Resource Specialist Jack Distel. “On our streets, those leaves decay, wash into our ponds and lakes and feed algae blooms which lead to poor
water quality.”

So, this fall as your trees shed their leaves, please:

• Do not sweep or blow leaves onto the street. That is against City code.

• Compost your leaves or chop them up with a power mower and place them around bushes and landscape plants for an excellent winter mulch.

• Bag your leaves for pick-up.