ABOVE: This QR code will bring interested people to a form that needs to be filled out in order to have the city dispose of their Curly Leaf Pondweed (CLP).

FAIRMONT–To help combat the ever-persistent Curly Leaf Pondweed (CLP), the city of Fairmont is providing a disposal option for the aquatic invasive species that’s safe and legal per the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Water Resources Coordinator, Hannah Neusch, said that the city has recently received some reports of people questioning whether they can bring CLP out to the tree dump site to dispose of it. However, that’s not legally allowed by the DNR because of the proximity of a nearby waterbody. Transporting CLP is a finable offense.

“We get a lot of calls this time of year about how people can dispose of it and get it off of their properties. Unfortunately there’s not too many options,” Neusch explained.

However, last year the Fairmont City Council increased the restoration charge on the utility bill from $1 per month to $4 per month, which will generate about $195,000 a year and goes into the Lake Restoration Fund.

“We’re using some of those funds this year to start this new service for residents who live on the lake and have this invasive weed but are not sure what to do with it,” Neusch said.

She said essentially people will need to collect the CLP from their shores and the best way to do this is by hand or with a rake. Then they will bag it in a trash bag and have it by their curb by 8 a.m. this coming Monday, June 16.

“Our contractor will come by and pick it up and dispose of it in a way the DNR is happy with,” Neusch said.

The contractor is Water’s Edge, which is a DNR permitted contractor for this type of activity.

“It made sense from the city’s perspective to hire a contractor who already knows what they’re doing and already holds the permit,” Neusch said.

Anyone who wants their CLP picked up this way can scan the attached QR code, or follow the link on the city’s Facebook page and website at fairmont.org, which will bring them to a simple form to fill out on their smartphone. Information the form will gather includes name, address, contact number and preferred date. Neusch said they’re planning a Monday morning pickup every week through this summer.

Neusch said people are still allowed to pile their CLP on their dock or lakeshore and let it dry out and then burn it. However, she noted some people have a large amount of the weeds and burning it all could prove to be cumbersome and time consuming.

“He (Garrett Myren with Water’s Edge) has a permit to transport and dispose of it properly at a secondary site. He is able to take it wet because he has a decontamination process he’s going to use with his equipment that’s required with the permit he has with the DNR,” Neusch explained.

She stressed that this is a new service the city is going to offer and with anything new there may be hiccups but Neusch asked for patience and encouraged anyone with questions to reach out to the city/

“I’m assuming this will be an in-demand service. We’re really happy to give people an option,” Neusch said.