Enhanced street sweeping will help prevent pollution in waterways and protect local marine life
SAN DIEGO – The City of San Diego is increasing street sweeping throughout Mission Beach alleyways this summer, in response to an increase in visitors during the busy tourist season. The added effort will help reduce pollution from increased trash and debris from the crowds and beachgoers, preventing it from reaching the ocean or Mission Bay.
Starting Wednesday, May 24, Mission Beach alleys will be swept every week on Wednesdays. The summer sweeping schedule will continue through September. The Stormwater Department is using sweeping equipment that will allow it to reach nearly every alley in both North and South Mission Beach.
“We know the summer months attract more local and out-of-town tourists to the beach communities and we want to make sure we keep a high quality of life for everyone, residents and visitors,” said Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, who represents Mission Beach. “I want to thank the Stormwater Department for adding street sweeping routes to remove trash and debris which reduces fly infestations in our beach communities.”
The enhanced sweeping in Mission Beach has the added benefits of reducing the nuisance of insects during the summer and helping improve vector control efforts throughout the community.
Alleys are not part of the regular street sweeping program, as the lack of raised curbs makes the space ineffective for a traditional sweeper. Instead, a smaller, electric-powered sweeper is used to reach trash and debris in the alleyways.
“Regular street sweeping is one of our most powerful tools when it comes to keeping our neighborhoods clean and preventing ocean pollution,” said Sumer Hasenin, Interim Director of the city’s Stormwater Department. “The weekly sweeping in Mission Beach will help ensure that San Diegans and visitors alike can enjoy our world-class beaches and bays throughout the summer. We encourage everyone to ‘Think Blue’ by properly disposing of litter and debris so we can stop pollution before it starts.”
Residents and visitors can help improve street sweeping efforts by following posted parking signs, taking in trash cans immediately on trash collection days, and reporting illegal dumping and other problems promptly to the city’s Get It Done application.
Rainfall that enters storm drains is not treated, and that runoff collects pollutants from properties and streets and carries them into local waterways. Streetsweeping helps remove both large and microscopic pollutants, such as brake dust, from vehicles before they reach a storm drain. Those particles can be extremely harmful to fish and other wildlife.
Visit the city’s interactive street sweeping map for more information about routes and schedules (https://sandiego.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ee3b1f22fc6246bbbc9349a0c866132c).
San Diego is defined by the natural beauty of its beaches and coastal waters, and keeping those precious resources clean, safe and healthy is the mission of Think Blue San Diego, the educational arm of the City’s Stormwater Department. To learn more about Think Blue San Diego and how to implement a Think Blue mindset, go to thinkblue.org.
(City of San Diego Release)
