Friday, September 12, 2003

Erosion and sediment control workshop offered for South Fulton residents

Sediment often washes down storm drains and into rivers, lakes and streams when it rains in your backyard, community and across the state. The Clean Water Campaign in conjunction with Fulton County Office of Environmental Affairs will be holding erosion and sediment control workshop for South Fulton residents to learn what is and can be done to reduce erosion and prevent water pollution October 9th from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the South Fulton Annex on 5600 Stonewall Tell Road in College Park.

Sediment is the most common non point source pollutant washed from construction work sites, creating multiple problems once it enters a river, lake or stream. It clogs fish gills, blocks light transmission and increases water temperature, all of which harm aquatic creatures. They also disturb the food chain upon which both fish and people depend on. Sediment absorbs/picks up harmful pollutants such as heavy metals, oils, other toxic substances, and debris which impacts water treatment facilities.

Representatives from Fulton County's Environment and Community Development Department will cover construction processes from pre-construction meetings to when a property is wooded and pristine to clearing and grubbing phases through the final structure construction. The law will be discussed with respect to what it prescribes for builders, developers and residents. What can be done and cannot be done in developing a property will also be discussed.

Residents are encouraged to attend the workshop to learn what is being done to control erosion and sediment problems in the county. Reporting erosion and sedimentation problems is important; however, residents are advised not to trespass on private property or developments to identify erosion troubles. The workshop will cover what measures residents can take to help reduce water pollution and report troubles, as well as some basic measure that can be applied to control erosion problems at their home.

A map of the county with the erosion inspection zones, contact information for the health department, public works, the arborist, etc. will be provided. Included with the map will be a guide for residents to use when identifying if their neighborhood or a new development is experiencing problems with erosion and sedimentation.

Local jurisdictions work constantly with developers to control erosion and sedimentation problems. Most counties in metro Atlanta offer all day courses to developers in order to be updated on new regulations, laws or best management practices that can help reduce erosion and sedimentation problems within a community. Inspectors check these development sites regularly.

The event is free and open to the public. Handouts and other materials will be distributed at the workshop. Registration is suggested in order to secure a seat for the event. To register, go online to www.cleanwatercampaign.com or call Corlette Dennard (404) 730-8745 of Fulton County Environment and Community Development.

The Clean Water Campaign works to educate the public about activities that help prevent water pollution in the areas of landscaping and lawn care, auto service and repair, handling of household hazardous wastes, septic tank maintenance and more. It is a cooperative, multi-agency public education initiative spearheaded by 20 local governments in metro Atlanta and managed by the Atlanta Regional Commission. For more information about the Clean Water Campaign, contact Kelley O'Brien at 404-463-3259.