Public Invited to County-Sponsored Community Clean Water Summit

The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection invites residents interested in the health of Montgomery County’s streams to attend the second annual Community Clean Water Summit

March 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Silver Spring Civic Building at Veteran’s Plaza, One Veteran’s Place, Great Hall, Room 1.

The goal of the summit is to help residents understand how their commonplace actions may contribute to stormwater pollution where they work, live and play. Tools will be available to help attendees modify their behavior and motivate others to do the same. At the Summit, participants will learn about the challenges of improving water quality; how their habits impact local waters; initiatives happening in their communities to improve stream health and how they can become involved. Participants will have the opportunity to become a part of the growing Clean Streams Movement and meet their local watershed groups, comprised of community members who are improving water quality in their local streams. Additionally, attendees will learn about County-sponsored programs such as RainScapes Rewards that provides financial incentives to stop stormwater pollution at its source.Stormwater pollution can result from ordinary actions by residents who may not be aware that they are affecting the health of streams, such as littering or ignoring trash, over-fertilizing lawns and not picking up after pets. Stormwater is the only source of stream pollution that is increasing in impact in Montgomery County and the Chesapeake Bay. To combat this problem, a Federal program has set stringent limits for stormwater pollution in Montgomery County streams. Changing the behavior of individuals is essential to meeting the program’s goals of reducing pollutants. Protecting watersheds and preventing pollution will reduce cleanup costs for both neighborhoods and Montgomery County. Event partners include the City of Gaithersburg, the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin and the Sea Grant of Maryland. To register for the Summit, visit: http://cleanwatersummit.eventbrite.com. Donated door prizes include an REI tent and a sponsored rain barrel raffle from a local vendor. Attendees must be registered and present to win.

For more information, contact Ryan Zerbe at Ryan.Zerbe@montgomerycountymd.gov or 240-777-7744.