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Commission wants to raise runoff awareness
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PHIL DIEHL
Staff Writer
VISTA ---- People need to be reminded that soap, oil and chemicals left on Vista streets and driveways ultimately may spoil the ocean for fish and surfers, the Environmental Quality Commission chairman said Tuesday.
"A lot of unwanted chemicals get washed into storm drains," Chairman Dick Sharp said. "We're trying to make homeowners and business owners more aware of what goes out of their driveways and into the water streams."
Environmental commissioners will discuss ways to make people more aware of storm-water runoff when they meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Vista City Hall, 600 Eucalyptus Ave.
Some possibilities would be to spray paint notices on storm drains or curbs, or to mail letters to residents, Sharp said. Many coastal cities post storm drains with pictures of fish and the phrase "I live downstream" to remind people that almost anything that flows into a storm drain eventually flows untreated to the sea.
The commissioners hope to raise awareness of problems with storm-water runoff through a feeling of cooperation rather than intimidation, despite stringent new laws prohibiting storm-water pollution, Sharp said.
A related matter on Thursday's agenda could affect car washes held by schools, churches and other nonprofit groups.
Commissioners will discuss whether to restrict the places where such fund-raisers can be conducted because of the soapy water they send into the storm drains, said city public works analyst Pete Struck.
"We need to work with (people) so that there are fewer places in Vista where untreated water goes into the storm sewer system," Struck said.
Also on the agenda Thursday is a presentation by a representative of Lowe's home improvement store about a proposed "adopt-a-street" sign program perhaps for the section of Vista Way between Highway 78 and Santa Fe Drive. The program would sponsor efforts to keep streets clean.
"We're just in the idea stage for this thing," Struck said, adding that city officials need to look into how the program would comply with sign ordinances and other issues.
Contact staff writer Phil Diehl at (760) 631-6622 or pdiehl@nctimes.com.
2/19/03
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