Plan Could Clean Tons Of Trash Out Of Canton Waterfront
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Hundreds of tons of trash floating in the Inner Harbor--water that recently received an "F" grade for health quality. Now the city wants to double its efforts to clean up, using new technology only found here in Baltimore.
Meghan McCorkell has more on the plan.
Plans are in the works to install a second water wheel in Canton that could pick tons of trash out of the harbor.
It's one of the most scenic places in the city of Baltimore, but look a little closer, and parts of the Inner Harbor aren't so pretty.
"For years I've been down here. And after any kind of rain storm, it's just covered in trash," said Dave Snyder.
The harbor recently got an overall grade of "F" for water quality. Now new plans are underway to try and get more trash out of the water. Officials are raising money to install a second water wheel. This one--in Canton.
The world's first solar powered water wheel has been filtering trash near Harbor East for a year.
"This is a one of a kind piece of machinery. It was invented by a local Baltimorean and we're the first city in the world to have it," said Adam Lundquist, Waterfront Partnership.
Since it was installed in May of last year, the Inner Harbor water wheel has collected 205 tons of trash--that's more than 4 million cigarette butts, nearly 100,000 plastic bottles and more than 42,000 grocery bags.
Just this week, the wheel hit a one day record, collecting 16 dumpsters filled with garbage coming in from the Jones Falls.
Now the city will target another major source of debris.
"Over in Canton, we have the Harris Creek outfall, which also contributes a significant amount of trash," said Lundquist.
"I think it's awesome. I know this has done a great job of preventing the pollution around here, so I think it will be a good idea," said Trevor Jones.
An idea that could help the harbor make the grade.
The Waterfront Partnership needs to raise $550,000 to build the new water wheel. So far, they've raised nearly $200,000.
At this point, there's no timeline for when the new water wheel could be in operation.