SAN PABLO STARTS MAJOR CLEANUP
by Adele Ho
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Youths "Paint" Town
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     Crews from the Summer Youth Employment and Training program (NYC)
are painting "No Dumping! Drains to Bay" on curbs at storm drain inlets this
summer.  The notices are a part of the city's federally-mandated National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program, funded by the
local Stormwater Utility Assessment.  Five youths, 14 to 18 years of age,
started the painting program on July 11th, and completely painted all the
storm drain inlet curbs will be painted in less than two weeks.
     Not everyone is aware that the water in the City's storm drains discharge
into Wildcat, San Pablo, and Rheem Creeks, and from there goes into San
Francisco Bay.  Pollutants dumped down storm drains can fill fish, birds,
insects, and other animals that drink the water.  They can also make fish
caught in the Bay dangerous to eat.  Even dirt, leaves and grass clippings can
pollute, as they rob the water of oxygen as they decompose.  The notices
painted on the curbs are to remind us of all this.
     Call the Contra Costa Household Hazardous Waste Hotline at 1-800-750-
4096 to find out how to safely dispose of oil, antifreeze, paint, and other
hazardous materials,
     In addition to the storm drain painting, the youths repainted the fire
hydrants and are painting addresses on curbs in the Old Town area of the City.
This is being done in conjunction with the Old Town Phase Roadway construction
project.

Wildcat Creek Cleanup
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     A major cleanup of Wildcat Creek began on July 18th.  Shopping carts,
tires, garbage, other debris and overgrowth blocking the creek's flow are being
removed.  A creek cleanup of this magnitude has not been done in the past ten
years.  This work is being funded by the local Stormwater Utility Assessment,
which was created last year to comply with the federally mandated National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program.  The program' intent is
to reduce the amount of pollutants entering the creeks and San Francisco Bay.
Four youths from the Summer Youth and Training Program (NYC) are working with
the City's maintenance crews to complete the work.
     The City's Municipal Code states that it is the homeowners' and tenants'
responsibility to keep the creeks clear of trash, debris, logs, trees,
overgrowth, yard clippings, and other obstructions that impede the flow of
water within the creek.
     Unfortunately, many homeowners living along creeks in the City never
realized that their property ownership actually extends to the center of the
creek and that they are responsible for keeping the creek clean.  In many
cases, fences have been erected in backyards above the creek, giving the
impression that the property ends at the fence.  Notices were mailed to all
property owners along Wildcat Creek informing them of this and encouraging them
to help keep the creek clean after the City's work has been completed.