An ongoing

study of lawn care practices and their effects on Peachtree City's streams

has revealed no dangerous concentrations of chemicals in local waters,

although their presence has been confirmed in relatively small amounts.

But pesticides,

herbicides and fungicides are making their way into the water supply,

including Lake Peachtree, explained Kevin Armbrust, principal investigator

of the study and a Peachtree City resident himself. This typically occurs

through water runoff from lawns, which helps the chemicals get into the

stormwater drainage system, Armbrust said.

Stormwater

largely remains untreated, leaving those chemicals to enter the water

supply, Armbrust added.

The study,

which includes chemical tests on streams, also will observe the affects

of lawn care chemicals on biological life in the streams, particularly

mussels and other organisms. It's not just the chemicals themselves which

could cause problems, but the chemicals they break down into when exposed

to sunlight, Armbrust said.

A social science

angle of the study involves local homeowners themselves who will be asked

questions about their lawn care practices and a year-long log those homeowners

will keep relating to how chemicals are applied to the lawn. The study

will also seek answers on what motivates residents to take care of their

lawns.

"Most

people tend to over-irrigate their lawns," Armbrust said. That can

send the chemical runoff down the gutter, into the storm drain, and yes,

eventually into bodies of water like Lake Peachtree, he said.

Also, residents

can apply far more chemicals than actually needed to get the job done,

Armbrust said.

The study is

also finding that a number of chemicals are present in the sediment of

local stream beds, such as chemicals used years ago to treat new houses

for termite control, Armbrust said.

Another chemical

found in local waters likely serves as a pesticide and also a

The sample

locations include four creeks and streams and the intake location for

the Fayette County Water System from Lake Peachtree, Armbrust said. The

project was funded by a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency,

and the city's developmental services department is assisting in the work,

Armbrust said.

Peachtree City

Councilwoman Carol Fritz was instrumental in setting up that connection,

and local environmentalist Dennis Chase has also provided his assistance

to the study, particularly by helping Armbrust identify points from which

to take samples.

The Fayette

County office of the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service

will also play a big role in helping promote solid lawn care practices

as a result of the study, Armbrust said.

Armbrust said

the equipment which takes water samples from streams has seen some vandalism

and at one sample location, progress has been slow because the sampling

unit had to be repaired.

The study will

also investigate the affect of large rainstorm events on getting the chemicals

into the water supply, Armbrust said.