As we’ve been preparing to celebrate August as National Water Quality Month through social media and blog posts, it’s been difficult to look past local Tampa Bay news headlines focused on red tide, tons of dead fish washing ashore, and the impairment of our local waters. So many conversations surrounding what has caused the recent harmful algal blooms – coastal pollution, increased water temperatures, the recent wastewater release at Piney Point, winds from Hurricane Elsa – are things that seem so big and out of our control. And on a larger scale, water quality concerns are expanding nationwide. But it can’t be time to throw our hands up and let these headlines become the new normal.
National Water Quality Month was founded in 2005 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to remind us to “take a moment to consider how important these water sources are not just to humans, but also to the other inhabitants of these ecosystems – whether it be the fish that live in the waters or the plants and animals that rely on these lakes and rivers for water just like we do.” While the work that I do generally focuses on drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and other “inland” water quality concerns, it’s impossible to disconnect from the large sources that make up 71% of our planet’s surface.
Water quality scientists and biologists are spending a lot of time looking at the “big picture” of Gulf temperatures, currents, weather patterns, and nutrient profiles. One thing they’re confident in is that human activity has increased nutrient loadings to the Gulf. To empower the general population to remember that we CAN make a difference when things feel out of control, I wanted to take the rest of this space to talk about simple changes we can all make to reduce the human component of the red tide equation.
- Reducing or eliminating nitrogen-based fertilizers from household use.
- Picking up pet waste and not allowing it to run into the stormwater collection system.
- Educating your neighbors to help community-based requirements, such as those from Home Owners Associations (HOAs) imposing lawn care standards, be modified to encourage fertilizer-free landscape.
- Encouraging stormwater treatment features throughout neighborhoods, like bioswales or wetlands.
- Supporting regional initiatives to convert septic systems to municipal wastewater collection and treatment
While Tampa Bay is currently making headlines, this problem is not limited to one area. Water quality concerns affect everyone. Although the restoration of healthy waters won’t happen overnight, it’s critical that we all understand the part we can play in restoring and sustaining a healthy Tampa Bay – and waters everywhere.