Orange County waterways will be cleaner thanks to an environmental cleanup program that awards money on a competitive basis to cities and the county for projects that reduce the impacts of water pollution related to transportation.
Protecting the county’s natural resources while improving the transportation network is a key promise made to voters in OC Go (also known as Measure M), Orange County’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.
Earlier this month, OCTA made $2 million available for 11 projects focused on removing visible pollutants such as litter and debris from roads before they reach waterways. Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange and Seal Beach received funding.
Projects include purchasing or upgrading screens, filters and inserts for catch basins, as well as other devices designed to remove pollutants. Since the program began in 2011, nearly 150 projects have been approved totaling approximately $19 million. More than 1 million cubic feet of trash has since been captured as a result of the installation of these devices.