TAPP - Think About Personal Pollution

TAPP - Think About Personal Pollution TAPP shows you how to make simple changes that make a BIG difference to the water quality of Tallahassee's rivers, lakes, and streams.

TAPP can show you how small, individual acts combine to make a measurable difference in the amounts of pollutants that rainwater can carry into our sensitive waters.

Every fall, leaves get blown into the street, swept into storm drains, and bagged for the curb. But there's a better end...
09/23/2026

Every fall, leaves get blown into the street, swept into storm drains, and bagged for the curb. But there's a better ending. Shredded leaves make some of the best free mulch your yard will ever see and keeping them on your property means they never end up in our waterways. 🍂

Swipe to see the whole story 👉

Learn more at TAPPwater.org

I’m not proud of this, but we need to talk. 🐾 There are more than 43,000 dogs in Tallahassee generating about 32,000 po...
09/18/2026

I’m not proud of this, but we need to talk. 🐾

There are more than 43,000 dogs in Tallahassee generating about 32,000 pounds of waste every single day.

It washes straight into the lakes where people swim, fish, and paddle. Dog waste has up to 10x more bacteria than human waste, causing a real health problem.

Don’t worry! Swipe for my plan 👉

Learn more at TAPPwater.org/pet-waste

I've lived next to this storm drain my entire life. And I need to talk to you about what ends up in it. 🐸 Motor oil. P...
09/14/2026

I've lived next to this storm drain my entire life. And I need to talk to you about what ends up in it. 🐸

Motor oil. Paint. Cleaning products. Soapy car wash water. None of it gets treated. It goes from the street, into the drain, and straight into the river I was raised in as a tadpole.

Illicit discharge is illegal in Tallahassee. If you see it happening, hop to it and report it.

Learn more at TAPPwater.org

09/13/2026

Know Your Flood Zone

The first and most important information to obtain is how likely it is that your home will be flooded. If your property is located within the FEMA floodplain, there is a one percent annual chance your property will be damaged by flooding. While your property may be high enough that it has not flooded recently, it could still flood in the future because not all flood events are the same.

Tallahassee’s flooding sources include drainage ditches, streams and lakes, such as East Ditch, Northeast Ditch, West Ditch, Central Drainage Ditch, Alford Arm Tributary, Saint Augustine Branch, Lake Lafayette, Lake Jackson and Lake Munson. Most of the flooding in Tallahassee is caused by rising or flowing water. Other properties located outside the flood zone can flood due to poor site grading, landscaping issues and incorrect construction of driveways.

For more information, visit https://bit.ly/4iHVCEO and look for the Flood Prevention and Preparedness brochure with your City Utilities bill this month (Sept. 2026). If you receive your bill electronically, look for a link to the online PDF.

Fresh cut, nowhere good to go. 🌿 Every time you mow, grass clippings can end up in the gutter. The gutter leads to the s...
09/10/2026

Fresh cut, nowhere good to go. 🌿

Every time you mow, grass clippings can end up in the gutter. The gutter leads to the storm drain and then straight to our lakes. When clippings decompose in waterways, they release nitrogen that fuels algae blooms, robs fish of oxygen, and turns clear water green.

The fix? Keep me on the lawn.

✅ Let clippings grass cycle back into the turf (free fertilizer!)
✅ Rake into garden beds as mulch
✅ Compost alongside fall leaves (nitrogen + carbon = perfect combo)

❌ Don't blow clippings into the street or storm drain

Swipe to see the whole story 👉

Learn more at TAPPwater.org

Leaves are starting to fall… but where they landmatters. 🍂When yard debris ends up in the street or storm drains,it does...
09/02/2026

Leaves are starting to fall… but where they land
matters. 🍂

When yard debris ends up in the street or storm drains,
it doesn’t just disappear, it flows straight into our
waterways. That means more pollution, clogged drains,
and harm to local wildlife.

This season, take a moment to keep leaves out of the
road by bagging or composting them and following your
city’s yard waste pickup guidelines.

08/14/2026

Protect our lakes and rivers from pollutants in soap, detergents, metals and motor oil. Wash cars on the grass using phosphate-free biodegradable soap or go to a commercial carwash, where they recycle water and send it to treatment systems. Our local waterbodies will thank you!

Learn more at: https://tappwater.org

Blowing grass clippings into the street? Patty sees it.Those clippings don’t disappear—they get swept intostorm drains a...
08/10/2026

Blowing grass clippings into the street? Patty sees it.
Those clippings don’t disappear—they get swept into
storm drains and end up in our waterways.

Keep them where they belong by leaving them on your
lawn to naturally break down, or bagging them for
proper yard waste pickup. 🍃

Patty’s on the lookout 👀 and she spotted a problem. Pet waste left behind doesn’t just disappear, it gets washed into ...
07/30/2026

Patty’s on the lookout 👀 and she spotted a problem.

Pet waste left behind doesn’t just disappear, it gets washed into storm drains and straight into our lakes, carrying harmful bacteria with it.

In a city with thousands of dogs, those small moments add up quickly.

Bag it, bin it, and help protect Tallahassee’s water. To learn more, visit https://tappwater.org/pet-waste

06/25/2026

Patty is watching! 🍃 Our nosy neighbor has noticed yard debris ending up in storm drains.

The problem? Storm drains flow directly to our rivers and streams. Leaves and grass clippings clog drains, pollute water, and harm wildlife.

Check her approved list to be a neighbor Patty is proud of!

Address

300 S Adams, B-35
Tallahassee, FL
32301

Telephone

+18508916819

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when TAPP - Think About Personal Pollution posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share