Water-Related News

Report: Less nitrogen ending up in Polk lakes

More of Polk's lakes could be on their way to becoming clearer and less green.

By Tom Palmer

BARTOW – By October, a county committee studying solutions to stormwater pollution problems will be ready to take a look at proposals to fix the first dozen lakes.

In the meantime, the first-ever street-sweeping program in unincorporated Polk County has removed hundreds of pounds on nitrogen and phosphorous from roadsides before it ends up in local lakes, county officials report.

Those updates were delivered to the county's Stormwater Technical Advisory Committee last week as the five-member panel reviews proposals and studies submitted by county staff and consultants to comply with state and federal mandates to reduce lake pollution.

"I'm pleased where we're headed,'' said Chairman Dave Carter, a Winter Haven engineer.