As spring approaches and the snow melts, you may have noticed the effects of winter — litter appearing along roadways, parks, and in public spaces. The City of Watertown recognizes this issue and is taking steps to address it.
As part of this effort, the annual ‘Team Up to Clean Up’ event is scheduled for the week of April 21 — timed for more predictable spring weather and held in honor of Earth Day. This event focuses on cleaning our 43 parks, city complexes, and other areas like ditches and highways. While the City has a base of volunteers, including local businesses, schools, and residents – additional volunteers are encouraged to help expand the cleanup efforts. If you are interested in volunteering or learning more, please call (605) 882-6260 or email: rheiser@watertownsd.us.
“Cleaning up our city is a community effort,” said Ryan Heiser, Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department. “’Team Up to Clean Up’ is an opportunity to come together and take pride in the spaces we all share.”
Another way you can help keep our community clean is to be proactive when hauling material in an open truck or trailer by ensuring that your load is properly secured. Covering your load is not only the law, but it also helps eliminate the accumulation of litter along our roadways – says Scott Davis, Superintendent of Solid Waste. In February, the Solid Waste Division issued nearly 60 citations for unsecured loads at the Landfill.
Along with community volunteer efforts, the Street Division is also actively involved in keeping Watertown clean. Weather permitting, they are currently street sweeping city highways and emergency snow routes and will continue this work throughout the remainder of winter. This effort helps remove debris, sand buildup, and litter from roadways, preventing it from spreading into parks, ditches, and other public spaces.
Let’s work together to keep our community safe and clean.