Wichita Falls residents took advantage of the sunny and warm weather Sunday to tend to their lawns.

While April has been a wet one for our area, city officials in Wichita Falls want to remind residents of the proper ways to manage their grass clippings. “I encourage residents to, if they have a blower, to blow their grass clippings back up on their lawn. The lawn clippings are actually 85-percent water. If they don’t have a blower they can actually sweep the grass clippings up and place them back on the lawn or they can put them in the dumpster as well,”  Drew Begley, the Environmental Coordinator for the Public Works Department said.

Begley said these clippings contain nitrogen and phosphorus, and when those clippings make their way into storm drains those chemicals begin to release. “That causes excess algae blooms which can eventually lead to a depletion in oxygen which can kill fish,” Begley said.

Also, this debris can make its way into drainage systems and clog them up. “They eventually make their way into the storm drain system which can cause a blockage which in turn can cause a flooding event to occur during a major rainfall event,” Begley said.

Begley said repeat offenders could face a fine of up to $2,000. However their department is more focused on educating the public and not fining them.

For more information on the city’s ordinance click here.

– Newschannel 6