Muddy Water Watch Looks To Stop Water Pollution
Tuesday, Jan 22, 2008 - 10:36 PM Updated: 11:40 PM
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RALEIGH, N.C. -- Volunteers gathered Tuesday to take part in the first "Muddy Water Watch" training session to help find an end to polluted waterways.
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Related Link: Muddy Water Watch website
Discuss This Story
Related Link: Muddy Water Watch website
"Muddy Water Watch" is an effort to recruit at least 200 people from all over North Carolina to spot problems on construction sites that can lead to polluted waterways.
Jordan and Falls Lakes are two of the Triangle's biggest water sources, but are designated as impaired by pollution. Experts say they're being polluted by sediment run-off from construction sites.
Upper Neuse Riverkeeper, Dean Naujoks said what looks like mud is actually the number one cause of water pollution in the country.
"The reality is, it's carrying heavy metals, nutrients like phosphates, fecal bacteria into our waterways, into our public drinking supply," Naujoks said.
About 50 volunteers showed up to get their first lesson in holding developers responsible. The program gives volunteers a field guide with pictures to help them evaluate a site. A grading system is used to grade storm drains, and those citizen report cards, said Naujoks, can help inspectors enforce maintenance guidelines.
"We need to take better care of our water resources and start managing our water resources better. The only way I can see that happening is by getting citizens more engaged in the process," he said.
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