As part of the Village of Poplar’s recent permit renewal for wastewater treatment and the accompanying variance for delayed phosphorus reduction levels for this permit period, we are required to use other methods to reduce phosphorus in the watershed. Things we can do at the personal level for all residents whether municipal sewer customers or not can help reduce phosphorus in the environment and reduce the amount necessary to be removed from the wastewater stream in the future. Things that we can do to reduce phosphorus at home are:

• Use low or no phosphate cleaning products.
• Do not throw yard waste like leaves and grass into the ditch, streams, or rivers. Compost it.
• Clean up after your pets.
• Reduce the use of fertilizer on lawns and gardens to only what is required. More is not better.
• Use landscaping practices that stop or slow the runoff from your property.

Here is a helpful link from the UW Extension website: https://douglas.extension.wisc.edu/files/2019/07/A3958.pdf.

There are many more resources on the internet as well.