SAN ANTONIO -- The recent heavy rainfall overflowed the San Antonio River and several tons of pollutant materials were uncovered along the eight miles of the Mission Reach.
The San Antonio River Authority, SARA, discovered plastic bottles, plaster liners and other trash items. SARA spokeswoman, Yviand Serbones, said. The trash is a problem they deal with every time there is a rain event.
This is a human problem. We are responsible for this. If you have not recycled and thought, 'I m going to just throw it here and thought what's one bottle going to do?' It's probably all joined to this, said Serbones. We don't know where it started. This could have started as far north as Stone Oak but because the way the water comes downstream, it could have ended up here.
Serbones said the impact goes beyond being an eye sore.
It affects the wildlife that lives in the San Antonio river. It also affects the water quality, said Serbones.
There's a whole bunch of trash barrels that the people can put their trash in there, said Mardie Esquivel, a resident. I don't see why they don't do it. They should keep it pretty. It's their river. They walk over here every day and they should keep it beautiful.
Recently, SARAlaunched Watershed Wise Warriors, an initiative to include the community in cleaning up the trash.
The organization said it views this pollution as a collective problem and they want to get local input. SARA will hold a meeting to identify areas where illegal dumping or heavy trash accumulates regularly.You can join at the University of the Incarnate Word this Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m.
