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 Everyone values clean water. But a recent national Roper survey found that most of us still believe industry is the biggest source of pollution. In reality, the Environmental Protection Agency has found that more pollution comes from the wastes of our common daily actions that rain rinses from our streets, yards and farmlands.
In our community, rainwater washes down streets and parking lots, driveways and sidewalks, roofs and yards, carrying water and everything it picks up into a ditch or a storm drain like this one.
All over Nevada County and the Yuba Watershed, drains like this are collecting rain water from our streets and yards. Sounds great, right? Here's the catch: The water that flows down these drains, whether it's clean or dirty, flows directly into our creeks and rivers. No cleaning, no treatment, just straight into our drinking water.
This means that lawn care chemicals, grass clippings, litter, pet wastes, used oil, and other wastes are dumped untreated into our waterways. Pollution and harmful bacteria go straight into our local fish habitat, swimming areas and drinking water.
To keep people from dumping chemicals, paint and used oil into these drains, SYRCL, the City of Nevada City, and Friends of Deer Creek are sponsoring a week of storm drain labeling this Spring, 2003. Curb markers like this one will soon be showing at a storm drain near you:
But we need your help.
• We need YOU to tell us where the drains are. If you know of a storm drain that needs to be labeled, please e-mail carlyle@syrcl.org or call (530) 265-5961 x204 with a detailed description of the location of the storm drain.
• SYRCL is also looking for community volunteers, teachers, students, and classrooms who are interested in labeling storm drains. It's fun, it's easy, and it helps keep our water clean. Call Carlyle at 265-5961 ext. 204 to register.
• Donate supplies such as wire brushes, orange safety vests or cones
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