PALATKA, Fla., May 12, 2005 — Volunteers are needed to help educatehomeowners about stormwater pollution during "Clean Water Day" inOrange Park on Saturday, May 21.

Sponsored by the town of Orange Park and the St. Johns River Water ManagementDistrict’s Clay County Watershed Action Volunteer (WAV) Program, the effortwill involve distributing educational fliers in area neighborhoods to teachresidents about ways to reduce stormwater pollution. Also, town employees willbe placing markers on neighborhood storm drains.

"Pollutants that drain into stormwater inlets have added to the problemsin our rivers and lakes for decades,” says Jim White, Clay County WAVcoordinator. “These volunteers will be helping to provide long-term protectionto area streams and the St. Johns River, while also learning about the area’swater resources."

Untreated stormwater runoff is the state’s leading source of water pollution,and storm water contributes about 80 to 95 percent of the heavy metals thatenter Florida’s waterways. The amount of nitrogen and phosphorus — chemicalsfound in lawn fertilizer — in stormwater runoff is comparable to the amountin treated sewage.

Volunteers will meet at the Band Pavilion behind Town Hall at 9 a.m. The first50 volunteers will receive free T-shirts, and volunteers are invited to a hotdog lunch at Town Hall afterward.

For more information, call White at (904) 264-7213.

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