Public Participation: Volunteer Waterway Cleanup Groups

By educating the youth, permanent behavioral changes can be made that will have long term positive effects on the overall water quality

The program will be designed to educate the youth on what is considered to be stormwater pollution, what they can do to help control stormwater pollution and encourage them to help educate others in preventing further actions that contribute to stormwater pollution.

Program Description – Public Participation – Volunteer Waterway Cleanup Groups

Organizations within Tuscaloosa County recognize the need for waterway trash cleanup along the lakeshores and stream banks. With the groups taking ownership in the solution to the problem of waterway trash a substantive reduction in the amount of floating and submerged

This person will be issued and loaned items needed to safely remove the litter from the waterways. This program depends upon community organizations to take the initial step in scheduling the activity.

Decision Process – Public Participation - Volunteer Waterway Cleanup Groups

The initiative of local community based groups to volunteer to better their community by removing waterway trash fulfills the five objectives of this program of public participation, and in particular the most important being that the group is taking ownership of the problem and working to correct it. Further, the participants in the volunteer cleanup are likely to not contribute to the problem of roadside litter themselves once they have assisted in a cleanup operation.

As this program continues, the county is in the process of considering adding to the loaned tools to the volunteer groups. The purchase of pick up tools bearing a message about the stormwater management program is being considered; these pickup tools would be available on loan to those groups

Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program

General

Illicit discharges are generally any discharge into a storm drain system this is not composed entirely of stormwater. Illicit discharges are a problem because, unlike wastewater which flows to a wastewater treatment plant, stormwater generally flows to waterways without any additional treatment. Illicit discharges often include pathogens, nutrients, surfactants, and various toxic pollutants.

The Stormwater Management Program for Tuscaloosa County includes provisions to detect and eliminate these illicit discharges. This program includes the mapping of stormwater discharge points, a plan for the reporting of illicit discharges, a plan to detect and address illicit discharges an education program on the hazards associated with illicit