HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2016-03-30 storm drain marking program
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Betsy Arnett, Public Information Officer
barnett@leesburgva.gov 703-771-2734
Volunteers Needed For Storm Drain Marking Program
Leesburg, VA (March 30, 2016) – As part of April’s Keep
Leesburg Beautiful Month, the Town of Leesburg is
seeking volunteers to inspect and mark storm sewer
inlets.
The Town maintains its own Municipal Separate Storm
Sewer System (MS4) under a permit from the Virginia
Department of Environmental Quality. The two primary
goals of the Town’s stormwater management program
are to eliminate localized flooding caused by heavy rains
and to reduce the introduction of pollutants into area
streams which eventually flow into the Chesapeake Bay.
Storm sewer inlets, or storm drains, are the first line of defense in meeting both of these goals.
If an inlet is blocked, either by debris or by vegetation, stormwater can back up into the street
during a storm and cause localized flooding. Since most pollutants enter the storm sewer
system through inlets, “Betty Bass” stickers remind people that whatever goes into the storm
drain inlet eventually ends up in the Chesapeake Bay and “only rain should go down the drain.”
“By doing something as simple as taking a walk through their neighborhood, residents can
participate in Keep Leesburg Beautiful and help the Town maintain the storm sewer s ystem,”
said Renée LaFollette, Leesburg’s Director of Public Works and Capital Projects. “We will
provide a map of inlets in a specific neighborhood and a supply of Betty Bass stickers. All the
volunteers need to do is mark which inlets need repair or attention from staff, place stickers on
inlets without stickers, and return the map to us. It’s a great way to be involved in your
community and educate your children about the importance of environmental stewardship.”
To participate in the storm drain marking program, visit the Town website at
www.leesburgva.gov/klb, email publicworks@leesburgva.gov or call 703-771-2790.
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