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Durham Creek Week Offers Volunteer Opportunities to Care for Local Waterways

Visit DurhamCreekWeek.org for Opportunities to Serve, Learn, and Explore

Creek Week, set for March 12-19, offers volunteer opportunities and activities to help people of all ages and abilities learn more about creeks, rivers, and lakes as well as how to keep them healthy. Throughout the week, residents will have a chance to join litter cleanups, explore nature, or go on a paddling or creek-trek adventure. Residents may also join in from home by playing Creek Week Bingo or reading books listed on the educational resource guide. 

“Our local waterways are our most important natural resource. Waterways full of trash and debris jeopardize the health and safety of drinking water for our entire community,” said City of Durham Mayor Elaine O’Neal. “I am grateful for the work of the City, County, and our community partners and volunteers for spearheading this important work during Creek Week and throughout the year.”

Creek Week has been celebrated in the third week of March each year in Durham since 2009, with 3,409 volunteers collecting 163,783 pounds of litter to date. In a show of inter-agency cooperation, the Impact Team from the City of Durham Neighborhood Improvement Services and the Durham County General Services Department make sure all litter is collected and properly disposed of and/or recycled. 

“Each year, Creek Week brings together our community partners to focus attention on discovering and cleaning up our local waterways,” said Public Information and Communication Analyst Laura Smith with the City of Durham Public Works Department. “It’s inspiring when we all come together to tackle the combined impact of litter and pollution in the Bull City.”  

To join litter cleanup events and find out more details about other activities in store, visit http://www.durhamcreekweek.org. For additional information, contact Smith at (919) 560-4326, ext. 30235 or by email.  

About the Public Works Department Stormwater and GIS Services Division

The Stormwater and GIS Services Division with the City of Durham Public Works Department is guided by the City’s Strategic Plan goals of sustainable natural, and built environment and innovative and high-performing organization. Activities include storm drainage design and plans review; inspecting and maintaining City-owned drainage systems; enforcing stormwater ordinances and regulations; education and outreach; stream monitoring, restoration, and watershed master planning; maintaining multiple layers of the City’s geographic information; and stormwater billing. To learn more, visit the division’s webpage and follow on Facebook and Twitter.

About Keep Durham Beautiful

Keep Durham Beautiful is a nonprofit, volunteer organization working in partnership with the City of Durham General Services Department and Durham County to encourage residents, businesses, and community organizations to protect the environment and enhance the appearance of Durham through cleanup events, beautification projects, waste reduction, and educational activities. To learn more, visit the website and follow on Facebook, Instagram, flickr, and Twitter.