Full Text
2012 Public Education and Outreach Summary Fish‐Friendly Car Washing City of Puyallup has three Fish‐Friendly Car Wash Kits that include storm drain basin inserts and pumps to keep car‐wash runoff including soaps and road grime from entering the stormwater system. These kits offer not only a safe way for citizens and local businesses and groups to wash their vehicles, hold fund‐raising events, and clean their facilities, they also present a great educational opportunity to discuss stormwater runoff pollution to the borrowing‐groups as well as those who attend their events. In 2012 this program was promoted to local businesses in conjunction with the newly‐ implemented Local Source Control program. To support this program, the City purchased and distributed the Puget Sound Car Wash Association (PSCWA) car wash vouchers to use as a launching point for conversations and education on the fish‐friendly program. 1) In 2012, the City’s three car wash kits were checked out as follows: a) May 19, 2012 – Puyallup Community Baptist Church i) Cars washed: ii) Audience reached: b) June 9, 2012 – Relay For Life i) Cars washed: 45 ii) Audience reached: general public c) July 13, 2012 ‐ YMCA Youth Investment Center i) Cars Washed: 4 ii) Audience reached: school‐age children, general public d) July 13, 2012 – Puyallup First Presbyterian Church i) Cars washed: 30 ii) Audience reached: school‐age children, general public e) August 25, 2012 – Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt i) Cars washed: 20 ii) Audience reached: general public 2) Distributed brochures about fish‐friendly car washing tips: a) Puyallup Farmer’s Market: May 12, 2012 b) Rain Garden Event: May 19, 2012 c) Mother Earth News Fair: June 2 & 3, 2012 3) PSCWA car wash vouchers (150) were distributed at the following events: a) Puyallup Farmer’s Market: May 12, 2012 b) Rain Garden Event: May 19, 2012 c) Mother Earth News Fair: June 2 & 3, 2012 d) Meeker Days event: June 16, 2012 4) Demonstrated set up and operation of car wash kit: a) PCTV 2‐minute PSA showcased on City website, May 2012 Puyallup’s Rain Garden Program During 2012 this program educated over 70 people through a workshop presentation on rain gardens, the installation of 8 rain gardens, 8 rain barrels, and 2 permeable pavement installations in the basin of a TMDL‐affected stream, and with tours to past installation sites. ---PAGE BREAK--- Completing four years of implementation, 2012 brought significant interest in the program, and is proving to inspire self‐implemented action on behalf of citizens. The program used Ecology Capacity Grant funding to achieve the following accomplishments as part of Puyallup’s Rain Garden Program. 1) May 8, 2012 ‐ Rain Garden Workshop, Attendees: 16 This workshop was open to the public and provided information on the benefits, design, and installation of rain gardens. Permeable pavements where also discussed as suitable private‐ home options for green stormwater infrastructure. 2) May 26, 2012 Street SW Installations (Clarks Creek basin) The seventh cluster installation in Puyallup’s Rain Garden Program, this project was very successful in providing great demonstration sites for green stormwater infrastructure. To ensure the rain gardens are properly maintained as stormwater facilities, each homeowner signed a covenant, recorded with their property, requiring annual inspection reports and maintenance. The City provided on‐going support for these efforts including education and advise on proper maintenance practices. A summary of the cluster installation follows: a) 8 property owners b) Installed 2 interpretive signs c) Installed 1 permeable paver driveway d) Installed 1 permeable paver entry path e) Installed 8 rain barrels f) Demonstrated porous asphalt g) Participating NGO’s: WSU, Friends of DeCoursey Park h) Received various donations from the community: DM Disposal (drop boxes), LRI (compost), Rain Dog Designs (rain garden materials, plants) i) 38 volunteers at the installation 3) August 29, 2012 ‐ Employee Peer‐to‐Peer Tour, Attendees: 14 As part of Puyallup’s Peer‐to‐Peer education program, the Stormwater Section led a tour of Rain Garden Cluster Installations. The tour included presentations on the benefits, design, and construction of rain gardens, permeable pavements, and rain barrels. Silver‐Meeker Creek Riparian Restoration In partnership with Pierce Conservation District the City coordinated several volunteer events on Silver and Meeker creeks in 2012. Included in this restoration project has been expansion and maintenance of a soft walking trail, interpretive signs, benches, and opportunities for citizen to connect with nature. In 2012, 4 events were held, with a total of volunteers contributing. Altogether these efforts resulted in the following achievements at and around Silver Creek: 1) 03/10/2012 Planting event a) 52 volunteers b) 314 native bare root trees and shrubs planted c) 300 feet of trail 2) 04/05/2012 a) 13 volunteers b) 300+ plants mulched and cleared of invasive weeds ---PAGE BREAK--- 3) 4/21/2012 a) 12 volunteers b) 400 plants mulched and cleared of invasive weeds 4) 07/28/2012 a) 30 volunteers b) 400 feet of trail At every event volunteers were given presentations on the importance of riparian zones, the environmental importance in restoring these areas, and ways to prevent stormwater pollution and help improve water quality in our streams, lakes, and rivers. Clarks Creek Park Riparian Restoration & Porous Maintenance Road Project The Clarks Creek Riparian Planting Project exceeded target outcomes by combining multiple funding opportunities and resources to result in a greater impact to the creek. The project, located just west of Clarks Creek, adjacent to 7th Ave SW in Puyallup, utilized City staff for design and construction activities, partner organizations for riparian planting and volunteer efforts, and contracted only where‐ needed to reduce costs and maximize on‐the‐ ground funds. In all, the City’s project restored over 17,000 square feet of riparian area with amended soils, planted 370 native trees and shrubs, removed 9,000 square feet of impervious cover, re‐aligned a maintenance road farther away from the impacted creek, retrofitting it with a porous road material, and educated and engaged over 60 volunteers. A summary of the two volunteer events held for the planting efforts in this project is included below. 1) 10/13/2012 a) 300 native trees and shrubs b) 54 volunteers c) 250 feet of fence 2) 10/27/2012 a) 12 volunteers b) 70 native trees and shrubs c) 360 feet of fence Stormdrain Marking Program In 2012, the City of Puyallup and Pierce Conservation District partnered again to place curb markers next to public storm drains within the city limits of Puyallup. The City of Puyallup purchased markers with the “Only Rain down the Drain” message to educate citizens of the impacts stormwater has on our local streams and water quality. Pierce Conservation District coordinated three weekend events for volunteers to place the markers next to public storm drains. The City and Pierce Conservation District agreed on a goal to mark 1,000 storm drains in 2012. Three marking events between May and August installed a total of 871 storm drain markers. One factor to consider in the quantity of curb markers being placed is weather, as volunteers ---PAGE BREAK--- can only complete this activity when the pavement is dry. The table below summarizes the volunteer efforts for 2012 stormdrain marking activities. Additional stormdrain markers were placed at various privately‐owned catch basins through the City’s Local Source Control (LSC) Program efforts. New in 2012, this grant‐funded program provided information to local businesses on property waste management to prevent environmental pollution – specifically, stormwater. During site visits, the LSC staff asks for permission to mark storm drains located on the property. Through this effort, 35 additional markers were placed in 2012. Date Location Volunteer Group # Volunteers # Marked 05/12/2012 13th Street SW neighborhood Volunteers, Pierce Conservation District 7 21 07/12/2012 Silver‐Meeker‐Clarks Creek neighborhoods Volunteers, Pierce Conservation District 40 553 08/12/2012 NE Puyallup Eagle Scout group 11 297 Total: 58 871 Pierce Conservation District tracked the progress of the curb marking using GIS, which now includes identification of 2010 through 2012‐marked catch basins. Looking forward, the City of Puyallup will continue to use current supplies of curb markers for the 2013 season and Pierce Conservation District will coordinate volunteer efforts to complete their marking goal in addition to continued efforts with the LSC Program to mark private catch basins. Farmer’s Market Puyallup’s Stormwater Section joined efforts with the Planning Department to attend a Farmer’s Market event in Pioneer Park in Puyallup on May 12, 2012. During the event the general public was educated on stormwater‐related topics such as stormwater pollution prevention, green stormwater infrastructure, fish‐friendly car washing, and more. Many inquires were fielded about Puyallup’s Rain Garden Program, reinforcing the success of the four‐year‐going program. Meeker Days Puyallup joined with Pierce County to educate the public on stormwater pollution prevention during the June 16, 2012 Meeker Days event at Pioneer Park in Puyallup. During this event staff shared information on low impact development practices and techniques for homeowners and businesses, as well as general stormwater pollution prevention tips such as fish‐friendly car washing and cleaning up after pets. More than 95 Puyallup residents were directly educated on these topics, as indicated by entries into a rain barrel give‐ ---PAGE BREAK--- away drawing held at the booth. Puyallup Fair The Stormwater Section staffed the Pierce Conservation District booth at the Puyallup Fair on September 19, 2012. Staff provided information to fair‐goers on stormwater pollution prevention, LID BMPs such as rain gardens, rain barrels, and permeable pavements, and answered questions and concerns on how citizens can do their part to protect and improve water quality in our local streams and river. Mother Earth News Fair The Mother Earth News Fair was held at the Puyallup Fair Grounds 06/02/2012‐06/03/2012. The City registered for this event and established a booth and displays to present education and outreach on green infrastructure topics such as rain barrels, rain gardens and permeable pavements. The Fish‐ Friendly Car Wash Kit was also highlighted, and car wash coupons were distributed – encouraging Puyallup residents to use commercial car washes and reducing polluted runoff. More than 100 Puyallup residents were directly education on these topics, as indicated by entries into a rain barrel give‐away drawing held at the booth. Puget Sound Starts Here Month May 2012 was Puget Sound Starts Here (PSSH) Month, organized by the regional STORM group in which the City actively participates. To promote the activities scheduled for this region‐wide stormwater‐awareness month, a flyer was designed listing scheduled events and distributed to local businesses along with PSSH‐branded drink coasters and coffee sleeves. One of the elements of PSSH Month was the screening of a stormwater pollution prevent Public Service Announcement (PSA) in the local movie theatre. To provide cost‐savings as well as streamline the production and contracting process National Cinema Media (NCM) and the City of Seattle shared their previously‐produced PSAs for other jurisdictions to use in this campaign. The City selected a 30‐second PSA promoting Fish‐ Friendly Car Washing and ran it in the South Hill Mall Theatre from May 3 through May 31. Local Source Control This year the City launched a new outreach program supporting local businesses. The Local Source Control (LSC) Program provided no‐cost training and education on proper waste ---PAGE BREAK--- management, business practices, and environmental protection with an emphasis on stormwater pollution prevention. Through one‐on‐one site visits to local business facilities, the LSC staff helped operators and managers identify potential environmental risks, hazards, and discussed ways to reduce their waste and exposure to regulatory violations while also saving costs through reduction in waste or improved operating practices. Included in the education message was outreach on illicit discharges, potential causes, implications to the stormwater system, and ways to prevent it. During 2012, a total of 168 site visits to local businesses were completed. The LSC business visits primarily focused on the restaurant industry, as it was recommended by other city staff has a high priority industry for education and outreach. This industry tends to have high staffing turnover rates, creating inconsistency in knowledge of pollution prevention measures. At the same time, this issue provides the opportunity to educate operators and managers on best management practices to prevent pollution, as well as regulations that may affect their business. Restaurants located within the Clarks Creek basin were the initial focus, which then expanded to South Hill and the Mid‐Puyallup River Basin. Food vendors operating inside the Western Washington Fairgrounds were also educated during the September 2012 fair. City facilities were inspected as part of the LSC program to ensure our facilities follow the same best management practices as recommended to local businesses. In this process, the LSC program trained city staff on proper storage of containers and materials, indoor and outdoor housekeeping practices, and proper disposal of expired products. Throughout visits to city facilities and local businesses in 2012, 43 potential illicit discharges and 21 potential pretreatment system failures were addressed by the program. Total number of activities implemented in 2012: 32