In Elizabethton, a collaborative effort has emerged to safeguard the purity of local waterways. On April 12, volunteers are being solicited by the Main Street Elizabethton, the city's MS4 Stormwater Quality Program, and Keep Carter County Beautiful to join the "Tag a Drain" initiative. The project plans to affix educational decals onto 39 storm drain inlets throughout the city as part of a broader public engagement strategy. According to the City of Elizabethton, this event is not only about staying in compliance with the MS4 permit from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) but also about actively informing residents about the significance of maintaining clean waterways.
The decals serve as a reminder that the drains are reserved exclusively for rainwater, a subtle but effective measure to hopefully reduce unauthorized discharges into the stormwater system. The volunteer-driven approach is expected to draw the community closer to understanding and protecting their environmental resources. "Tagging the drains also shows participants which drains are "only rain in the storm drains" raising awareness to help decrease illicit discharges into the stormwater system," Caleb Krebs, the City of Elizabethton's Stormwater Coordinator, expressed in a statement obtained by the local government's news release.
Volunteers are to converge at J's Corner parking lot at 306 East F Street, where they will be organized into teams. From there, they'll span out to strategically place decals along East F Street and East Elk Avenue, extending all the way through downtown to U.S. Highway 19E. The city ensures that the event, which is projected to last between two to three hours, will provide all necessary equipment.
Praising the collaborative spirit of the event, Krebs extended a heartfelt "thank you" to Main Street Elizabethton and Keep Carter County Beautiful for their partnership. The combined efforts serve to solidify the message about environmental stewardship and community involvement. "We want to thank Main Street Elizabethton and Keep Carter County Beautiful for partnering with us on this event," Krebs told the city's news outlet. "It is very important to keep our residents educated about keeping our waterways clean." Local residents with queries on the stormwater quality program or potential illicit discharges are encouraged to reach out to the city at [email protected] or call 423-547-6240.
