City To Unveil Groundbreaking Effort To Clean River

Mayor James Ireton, Jr. is pleased to invite the public downtown to the East Prong of the Wicomico River to highlight ground breaking efforts to clean up the river. In conjunction with the Wicomico River Project, The Salisbury Environmental Task Force and Salisbury Public Works, the mayor is pleased to announce the Wicomico River Storm Drain Netting Project.

This project involves the attachment of a netting device to the end of a storm drain outfall pipe to catch debris prior to reaching the river. In situations of major storms the netting has the ability to be released while still retaining the debris and not impeding heavy flow.

The netting device, a KriStar Nettech Gross Pollutant Trap, was supplied and installed by KriStar Enterprises, Inc. February 3, 2011. This project is made possible through a $10,000 grant through the Federal Community Development Block Grant. This project is a step in creating civic and community awareness, further beautifying the Wicomico River and encouraging eco-tourism activities. It is these and other efforts that show the City’s dedication to environmental stewardship and our commitment to the revitalization of Downtown Salisbury. If successful, the city will invest $10,000 in the netting.

“These efforts, through community development Block Grant funding from the Federal Government, along with the River Project and the Environmental Task Force, are showing the City’s commitment to the Wicomico River. With the removal of the abandoned barges in the North Prong, our beginning steps of creating a storm water utility, we move closer to revitalization of the waterway. Salisbury’s environmental stewardship is another step in our commitment to the river and ultimately, the revitalization of Downtown Salisbury,” said Mayor Ireton.

A press conference is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., February 9, 2011, at the Riverwalk Park at the intersection of Market Street & South Division Street, just adjacent Old Fire Station 16.