WESTFIELD – The Westfield River Watershed Association (WRWA) has labeled thousands of storm drains in Westfield and the Hilltowns and will now tackle Southwick this summer. Volunteers are needed on Saturday, July 11 and the following Saturday, July 18.
You may have noticed colorful disks reading, “No Dumping – Drains to River,” that WRWA volunteers have applied on the curbing or pavement near storm drains in Westfield and some Hilltowns over the past several years. In towns abutting the Westfield River, any kind of waste that finds its way into the storm drains ends up in the river without undergoing any sanitary sewage treatment. In Southwick, located within the Westfield River watershed, the storm drains flow without treatment into tributaries of the Westfield River. A new label design will read, “No Dumping. Drains to Waterways.”
Volunteers should meet at 9 a.m. in the parking lot of the Gristmill shopping plaza on the corner of the Route 10/202 and Route 57 intersection for work assignments. Wear older clothes (the adhesive can be messy) and bring sunscreen and water. We’ll be working in different areas of town until about noon. The streets must be dry for the adhesive to work, so recent or ongoing rain will cause postponement. Contact Mike Young at 413-562-8498 before 10:00 pm on the evening before for more information.
You can learn more about WRWA and future events by visiting www.westfieldriver.org.
