Peters Canyon Watchers Program Helps Reduce City Sewage Spills by 80%

April 18, 2008 11:19 AM

SAN DIEGO - Council President Scott Peters announced that since 2000, the City of San Diego has reduced sewer spills and beach closure days by 80%, thanks to an investment in monitoring and infrastructure, and community partnerships such as the Volunteer Canyon Watchers Program, which uses hikers, runners and bicyclists as the City's "eyes and ears" in our 10 local canyons.

   

 

Peters was joined by and representatives from the San Diego Oceans Foundation, I Love a Clean San Diego, the Friends of Los Peñasquitos Canyon and the City's Metropolitan Wastewater Department to recognize Earth Day and thank the community volunteers who help prevent sewer spills from fouling our watershed and coastal waters.

 

"As a result of all of these efforts, by 2007, we had reduced sewer spills and beach closure days by 80%, and our beaches now consistently earn "A" grades for water quality in the annual survey from Heal the Bay," Peters said.

 

Since 2000, the City of San Diego Last year, volunteers donated more than 700 hours to the Canyon Watchers program.

 

To report a broken manhole cover or sewer spill, call the City of San Diego Sewer Spill Hotline at (619) 515-3525.  To get involved with the Canyon Watchers Program, call Metro Wastewater's Public Information Line at (858) 292-6484.