Volunteers remove 1,380 pounds of trash during Rivers Alive
With an objective to preserve the water quality in Walnut Creek, 43 volunteers worked through rainy conditions to remove 1,380 pounds (.69 tons) of trash and debris at Henry Town Center, near the Interstate 75 and Jonesboro Road interchange, during this year’s Henry County Rivers Alive.
The Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) hosted the cleanup with the help of Henry County Stormwater, while welcoming volunteers from Henry County Fire and Rescue, Henry County EMA, Henry County 911, and Atlanta Motor Speedway.
“I was impressed with the dedication of the volunteers who came out to clean up their community even with the rainy weather,” says Lindsey Sanders, HCWA Communications and Regulatory Coordinator. “We are very grateful for this great group of volunteers!”
Henry County Rivers Alive is an official event of the Georgia Rivers Alive Campaign, which is Georgia’s Annual Waterway Cleanup. Rivers Ali
ve cleanups target all waterways in the state, including creeks, streams, rivers, lakes/reservoirs, beaches, and wetlands. The mission of Georgia Rivers Alive, which is a Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) Outreach Program, is to create awareness of and involvement in the preservation of Georgia’s water resources.
“Henry County Rivers Alive helps us protect our water quality,” adds Sanders. “Any trash and debris we can remove will benefit the water treatment processes at our two water plants, since everything thrown on the ground eventually ends up in a water source, such as a creek, stream, or reservoir. That’s the primary objective of Rivers Alive – to keep our water resources clean and safe, because that’s where our drinking water comes from.”
This year’s theme for Henry County Rivers Alive was: “Be the solution for water pollution!” According to Authority officials, they selected the site of this year’s cleanup because it directly impacts the water quality in nearby Walnut Creek, which is an important local water body to protect.
Check out our photo gallery from this year's Henry County Rivers Alive here.
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