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| Crystal Clear and Billy Bass |
Water Education and Community Involvement
To increase awareness of water quality issues and encourage community volunteer involvement, MPRB staff provide water quality information and education to city residents through our annual Earth Day Watershed Cleanup, utility bill inserts, educational programming in schools, informational newspaper articles and public service announcements. Water quality education programs are funded through the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and the City of Minneapolis as part of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements.
Find out how you can learn more about our area's lakes and make a difference.
Catch Basin Stenciling Program
The catch basin stenciling program is used in Minneapolis to educate citizens about pollutants draining into storm sewers and the impact they have on local lakes and streams.
- Stencil applications contain the message "Please Don't Pollute! Drains to River (Creek or Lake)."
- Implementation of this project is through the Friends of the Mississippi River, a non-profit environmental organization.
- The Friends educate community and school volunteers on non-point source pollution prior to the stenciling.
- In 2000, 800 volunteers stenciled 2,500 catch basins near the Chain of Lakes and Mississippi River.
Educational Outreach: Billy Bass and Crystal Clear
Billy Bass and Crystal Clear are two costumed characters that attend festivals and events throughout the city to teach the important role each person plays in keeping Minneapolis' waters clean. For more information call MPRB Environmental Operations, 612-230-6400.
