|
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Contact:
Sue
Davis,
Thurston
County
Environmental Health, (360)
754-4111 ext. 7316
Public
Workshop set on Woodland Creek Pollution Reduction Plans
OLYMPIA
– Residents who live in
parts of the Woodland Creek basin in the Lacey area are invited to attend a
workshop this week to find out about the costs and potential solutions to help
clear up pollution in the creek, area groundwater and Henderson Inlet.
The workshop Thursday evening will be an opportunity to learn what the
consultants are recommending in order to reduce pollution in the area and the
estimated price tag. A study has
shown that fecal coliform bacteria and nitrate contamination are seeping into
the groundwater and flowing into the creek.
Woodland
Creek flows into Henderson Inlet. Over the past 5 years, increasing fecal
coliform bacteria levels have caused the State Department of Health to close
more of the Henderson Inlet tidelands to shellfish harvesting. A problem
with nitrate in the area groundwater has also forced several small private
water systems to abandon their wells and connect to the city water system.
The
workshop is intended to give area residents the most up to date information on
the study and the resulting recommendations.
Sue Davis of Thurston County Environmental Health says there will be
more chances for the public to officially weigh in on the subject.
“The workshop Thursday night is an informational meeting.
There will be a formal public review before any plan is adopted, but
that process has yet to begin.”
Davis
says if the recommendations are adopted a key step will be trying to find
financial assistance for the affected neighborhoods.
“We here at the county as well as City of
Lacey
officials, know storm water and sewer improvements are very costly and we will
be looking for federal and state assistance so that costs to property owners
are minimized as much as possible”.
The
Public
Workshop on Woodland Creek Pollution Reduction Plans will be held on
Thursday, March
13 at the
Expo
Center
at the
Thurston
County
Fairgrounds,
3054 Carpenter Road SE
, Lacey. The doors will open at
6:30 and the presentation begins at 7:00
Those who want to find out more details on the
project can visit the
Thurston
County
web site at http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehrp/woodland.html
| 