PalmettoPride Announces Grant to Fund 25 WATERGOAT Trash Collection Systems Across South Carolina
PalmettoPride, South Carolina’s anti-litter organization, announced today a special grant to fund 25 WATERGOATS across South Carolina. The WATERGOAT trash collection systems are ideal for streams, canals and other small bodies of water, stopping trash and debris from flowing waters, thus preventing litter and plastic from entering our oceans.
WATERGOAT has been preventing trash from entering big waters since 2006. Nearly 200 WATERGOATS have been deployed in public waterways. Conservative data indicates that the WATERGAOT fleet has prevented well over 322 tons of debris from ever getting close to the ocean.
“South Carolina has a vast network of rivers, lakes and streams that all empty into the ocean. This state also falls victim to hurricanes and other natural disasters that lead to flooding. It is a well-known fact that storm drains and natural tributaries clogged with trash and debris can drastically increase the chances for flooding,” said Sarah Lyles, Executive Director of PalmettoPride. “These trash barrier systems are valuable tools in litter prevention and pollution remediation.”
There are two systems in place currently in South Carolina: Berkeley County and Greenville County. This week, WATERGOAT creator Jeff Mills will be traveling to Conway, Kingstree and Orangeburg to install the first three of this special grant-funded initiative.
PalmettoPride will work with Keep South Carolina Beautiful affiliates, environmental protection organizations, state and local governments and other related industries to install and maintain 25 of these trash collection devices over the next year.
The WATERGOAT systems are created specific for each location and can be emptied on average within two hours. Pictures are attached of the Greenville location.
For more information, please contact Joseph Berry at jberry@palmettopride.org.
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PalmettoPride is working towards a litter-free South Carolina. Created as a legislative initiative to fight litter and help beautify South Carolina by engaging citizens to take action in their communities through education, enforcement, awareness and pickup.