Learn / Ask The Landscape Professional
I recently heard about a ground water contamination problem in Charleston, RI. Can you shed some light of what is going on? Dave
Answer
Nitrate contamination of private and
public well water is so severe in areas
around Charleston, RI that other
sources of drinking water are needed now
or are close to being needed. While the
major problem is sewage waste disposal
through septic systems, a significant source
of the contamination is coming from lawn
fertilizers applied by both landscaping companies
and homeowners. Synthetic chemical fertilizers
that are commonly used put way too much
nitrogen and phosphate into the soil. Only 35%
of synthetic lawn fertilizers ever reach
the grass roots, the rest leaches through
the soil into streams, lakes and drinking water
supplies. Of the 35% of the fertilizers that
reach the grass roots, only a small fraction of that
is needed. The Town of Charleston is advising
homeowners: "A pristine, green, weed free
lawn is not desirable for our drinking water.
The Town of Charleston strongly recommends
that fertilizer NOT be applied to lawns due
to increasing levels of nitrogen in our drinking
water," and their own Potable Water Working
Group feels strongly that fertilizers should
be completely banned. The town is working
with all commercial landscaping companies
that serve their area to institute a process
to minimize nitrates in their drinking water. The
Charleston process has features that Sprigs
& Twigs has embraced for a number of years in
our Organic Lawn Care Program:
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About Linda Lillie
Linda K. Lillie is the President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc, the premier
landscape design and maintenance, tree care, lawn care, stonework, and carpentry
service provider in southeastern Connecticut since 1997. She is a graduate of
Connecticut College in Botany, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national
award winning landscape designer for her landscape design and landscape installation work.
