Specifications include, but are not limited to: The City of Olympia’s Storm and Surface Water Utility has an interest in keeping pollution out of the stormwater system and surface water. One potential source of nutrients is from excessive lawn fertilizer application by residents. Excess water soluble nitrogen is highly susceptible to running off the site with stormwater and/or leaching into the groundwater. The City received a Reducing Nutrients in a Watershed grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology National Estuary Program to reduce nutrients in the Budd Inlet/Deschutes River Watershed through homeowner lawn care education and behavior change. The grant funded program uses a new method of doing natural lawn care outreach to residents who do their own lawn care and use quick release type fertilizers, including weed and feed products: Soil test from each lawn. Lawn care professional visiting the property in the spring and fall and giving an onsite lawn evaluation and recommendation based on the soil analysis, current practices, and lawn condition and health. Lawn care professionals leading how‐to demonstrations. The City is planning to select one to four consultants for the site visits. Each consultant will be assigned a minimum of 40 participants for the spring and fall site assessments. Additionally, the City will select one to four consultants to conduct the demonstration workshops.
