On February 6, 2019, The BC High School College Prep and Advanced Placement Environmental Sciences classes led by teacher James Brown, tagged 55 storm drains around the campus of the high school. They received assistance from Monique Ocean, a member of the Lexington Countywide Stormwater Consortium from the City of Cayce.
Storm drains lead directly to waterways, and storm water that runs into the storm drainage system is not treated at a water treatment plant. Therefore, pollutants that are picked up in rain water as it flows over rooftops, the ground and pavement are directly deposited into our Midlands waterways. We depend upon our waterways for recreation, health of aquatic life, and as a source of drinking water. Tagging storm drains with decals (tags) that carry the wording No Dumping….Drains to Waterways is a way of notifying the public that anything that is not rain water should not be dumped into a storm drain….ever! This type of dumping greatly increases the amount of pollution that already flows into our waters when it rains. The health and safety of our waterways as sources of drinking water, recreation, beauty and healthy aquatic life is important to the quality of life for the citizens of Lexington County and the municipalities within the county.
More volunteers are needed for storm drain tagging and other activities of the Lexington Countywide Stormwater Consortium that preserve the health of our beautiful South Carolina waterways. For information about how you or your group can volunteer or be added to a list of people who will receive information about upcoming volunteer activities and trainings, please get in touch with Mary Hite, Stormwater Outreach Assistant, at mhite@lex-co.com or by calling (803) 785-8201.
