Runoff is Real! What Goes on Your Lawn… Doesn’t Stay There!

Runoff: When it rains, runoff from lawns, sidewalks, and streets carries fertilizer and pesticide residues into Port Washington’s storm drains — which flow directly into Manhasset Bay without treatment.

Toxic Chemicals: Herbicides like glyphosate and pesticides such as carbaryl and 

chlorpyrifos poison fish, disrupt development, and settle into sediments that harm shellfish.

Nutrient Pollution: Fertilizers rich in nitrogen and phosphorus fuel algae blooms that deplete oxygen, creating “dead zones” where marine life cannot survive. 

Ripple Effects: The ripple effects are widespread: shellfishing closures, declining bird and wildlife populations, degraded water quality, and a bay that becomes unsafe for recreation.