St. Pete: Do not dump lawn waste into storm drains

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - In St. Petersburg, there are constant reminders to keep storm drains free of debris.  “Dump no waste, drains to bay.”

That includes those with lawn care services.

The folks at Promow Lawn Care say they won't blow leaves and grass clippings into stormwater drains.

"Everybody is interconnected here, we're all in this together," said St. Petersburg Public Works Communications Manager, Bill Logan.

"You know, it's more of buildup of everything," said ProMow's Andrew DeMauro. "I can see where that would cause clogging problems in the drain and whatnot. The best thing is if everybody would just do what they're supposed to do, they wouldn't have to worry about it."

Not everyone does what they're supposed to do. The remnants that can end up in the bay include chemicals found on the lawn. 

"As we head into the rainy season, it's going to be very important that everybody does their job," said Logan. "That includes the city, building more ways to treat wastewater, more ways to dispose of the wastewater, and increasing the resiliency and robust nature of our collection system."

Sewage and wastewater has been an ongoing issue for the city of St. Petersburg, especially after it dumped millions of gallons of wastewater into Tampa Bay last summer after hurricane Hermine. Now, they're seeking the public's help to help themselves.

"In order to keep the sanitary system working well, the storm water system needs to get all that excess water out of the way," said Logan. "Keeping those lines clear will help to do that."

But there are those who believe St. Petersburg has a long way to go in this fight.

"I think that's going to be a never-ending battle for the city and the county for a long to come," said DeMauro. "There's just so much of it, and there's a lot of people who just don't care."