Canberrans are urged to swap their vacuum cleaners with rubbish pickers this Sunday to help clean up the city's polluted waterways.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In the wake of a damning report by Clean Up Australia revealing the amount of rubbish in the city's waterways doubled in the 12 months since they were found to be the dirtiest in the country, the National Capital Authority is calling on volunteers to take part in its inaugural Clean Up Your Catchment Day.
The push for the ACT to hold its own clean up day coinciding with the national Clean Up Australia Day was highlighted by Threatened Species Commissioner Gregory Andrews after he found a creek near Curtin clogged with rubbish.
While the National Capital Authority said the initiative intended to help "keep" local lakes, ponds and creeks clean, it is also focused on making many polluted areas clean.
Michelle Jeffrey from the National Capital Authority stressed the day was planned well before the release of the Australia Day report which highlighted the urgent need for a clean up.
"Clean Up Your Catchment Day has been endorsed by Clean Up Australia but it focuses on specific activities to try and focus on waterways," Ms Jeffrey said.
"It is disappointing that the amount of rubbish found in our waterways is increasing. We hope this day will help educate people about how how stormwater drains link through our catchment. It's not just rubbish but other types of litter such as grass clippings."
Those willing to get down and dirty for a good cause can clean up one of five Lake Burley Griffin sites: Yarralumla Beach, Orana Bay, Lotus Bay, Grevillea Beach and Black Mountain Beach.
Clean Up Australia Day Founder Ian Kiernan urged Canberrans who couldn't make it to Lake Burley Griffin to register a catchment site near them for Clean Up Australia Day.
As a regular lake user, Olympic rower, Kim Brennan, said prevention is the key to keeping our waterways and Lake Burley Griffin clean, by stopping pollutants and rubbish from entering our stormwater system.
"When stormwater is cleaner, it creates a healthier environment for everyone to enjoy," Ms Brennan said.
Regular lake user and olympic rower Kim Brennan said prevention was key to keeping waterways clean.
The 2016 ACT Rubbish Report surveyed six sites across the ACT and removed about 237 tonnes of waste from waterways, parks and roadways.
Of all the sites, waterways were the most polluted, accounting for 44 per cent of the collected waste.
You can register for Clean Up Your Catchment Day on the Clean Up Australia website.
