California Coastal Cleanup Day on September 21

Valley Water is looking for volunteers for September 21's California Coastal Cleanup Day. This a statewide event in California.

With California Coastal Cleanup Day approaching on Sept. 21, Valley Water is looking for volunteers to aid with cleaning up local waterways in Santa Clara County.

Everyday urban runoff pollutants, as well as debris and trash accumulated in Santa Clara County’s waterways, flow into our reservoirs and San Francisco and Monterey bays. In addition to contaminating water, and harming birds and wildlife, waste and debris can block our creeks potentially causing flooding, according to Valley Water.

“Valley Water is committed to protecting the environment by keeping Santa Clara County’s 275 miles of streams clear of harmful debris,” said the organization in a press release.

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Last year, almost 2,000 volunteers spread out to their local waterways to remove more than 56,000 pounds of trash and clean 75 miles of creeks in Santa Clara County. Hoping for a great turnout this year as well, Valley Water is calling all residents to join them on Sept. 21, from 9 a.m. to noon, in a statewide effort to protect our environment by keeping our waterways clean from pollutants.

Countywide Coastal Cleanup efforts are still in need of volunteers at most of the County’s 48 cleanup sites in Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, San Jose, Cupertino, Palo Alto, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Campbell, Los Altos, Milpitas and Gilroy. Volunteers can register at www.cleanacreek.org to join their neighbors in cleaning a creek close to home. Valley Water will have site leaders at every location and provide gloves and trash bags.

“Please help us make a difference during California Coastal Cleanup day by asking your audience to register to volunteer and be a part of the solution to water pollution,” said Valley Water.

According to Valley Water, the origins of Coastal Cleanup Day date back to 1985, when the focus was on the removal of litter from California’s beaches and oceans. In 1993, California Coastal Cleanup Day was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “largest garbage collection” ever organized, with 50,405 volunteers.

To learn more about California’s Coastal Cleanup day or Valley Water — formally called Santa Clara Valley Water District — visit www.valleywater.org or call (408) 265-2600.

“Valley Water is proud to play an integral role in California Coastal Cleanup Day,” Valley Water Chair Linda J. LeZotte said. “I am thankful to the residents of Santa Clara County who are willing to donate their time to this wonderful event and make a positive impact on our natural environment.”