MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — The City of Mobile’s efforts to keep stormwater litter under control has paid off.
“The City of Mobile has been working a really long time to get our act together on stormwater litter — and we have,” said Chief Resilience Officer Casi Callaway.
Callaway told WKRG News 5 the city has finally gotten to the point where the Alabama Department of Environmental Management has dropped strict requirements when it comes to keeping trash out of its water sources.
But as Callaway tells us, crews are going to keep these efforts going.
“Ten years ago, we were the poster child of what not to do,” she said. “But now, the state agency has given us a new stormwater management plan that doesn’t require us to do litter patrol and litter cleanup anymore, because we’re still going to do it anyway, and they know that.”
Don Bates, founder of the Osprey Initiative, an environmental consulting group, says the company started working with Mobile’s waterways about five years ago installing so-called “litter gitters” and doing proactive cleanups to help the city keep up with the requirements.
He’s excited to continue to do so.
“Three Mile Creek, Dog River, these are assets for this community. You shouldn’t have to go to the beach once a year to see nature when it’s in your back yard. And this, our commitment to this — our fight has just started,” he said.
This story originally appeared on WKRG News 5 by Brianna Hollis. View the original story here.
