Welcome to Skagit County
March 5, 2015
Clean Samish Initiative Launches ‘90 Days to Clean Water’ Campaign
SKAGIT COUNTY – Although residents of the Samish River watershed (basin) have partnered in a campaign to reduce water pollution from fecal bacterial, the goal of water clean enough to eat from and play in without fear of getting sick has not yet been reached.
The Clean Samish Initiative (CSI) team includes representatives of stakeholders including residents, land and marine agricultural producers, and local and state environmental agencies. Together, members of this team have found and addressed numerous sources of fecal coliform.
However, water sampling continues to show consistently high fecal coliform counts in the Samish River. Due to these high numbers, the CSI team has launched a “90 Days to Clean Water” campaign.
Fecal coliform is bacteria from feces of warm blooded animals such as humans and other mammals. It can cause diseases such as gastroenteritis, ear infections, typhoid, dysentery, hepatitis A, and cholera.
Assistance from the public is vital in the effort to locate and address sources of fecal coliform pollution. Sources can include leaking septic systems, manure and pet waste. This spring, CSI team members will be in the field sampling water and looking for site conditions that may be sources of pollution. Community volunteers may be in your neighborhood to distribute educational information.
“This is a community concern and it will take a community effort to resolve,” said Pollution Identification and Correction (PIC) Coordinator Karen DuBose. “You can locate and eliminate pollution sources in your area. With your help, the goal of clean, healthy water can be met.”
If you have questions about your property or know of potential pollution sources, technical and financial resources are available to assist you.
For more information please visit the Skagit County Clean Samish Initiative webpage at www.skagitcounty.net/CSI
If you have questions or concerns please contact Kerri Love at (360) 336-9400.