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Gulf Guardian Award Winners 2007
Civic/Nonprofit Organization - 3rd Place
| Company: | Save Our Canals |  |
 Click on the picture to view a larger size. |
| Project Name: | Water Area Restoration and Maintenance (WARM) Project | ||
| Location: | Tampa, Florida | ||
| Category: | Civic/Nonprofit Organization |
The Save Our Canals WARM project began in July 2006 and ran for 18 months, with the initial phase to be completed in January 08. This was a unique collaborative effort among citizens, businesses, government and various conservation and science organizations to improve local water quality through a new stormwater filtration technology – street drain filter baskets. This new stormwater filter technology, retro-fitted into existing street drains successfully traps debris, chemicals and sediment in stormwater and prevents them from going into the marine environment. The purpose was to rehabilitate water areas leading to Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, making them the complete thriving ecosystems they once were, so that they will again support diverse and abundant wildlife and provide cleaner water to the Bay and Gulf. The project was initiated because a primary source of water and coastal area contamination is unfiltered stormwater outflow. Rather than just waiting as things degenerated, neighbors got together, developed a plan and made a difference!
