Privately-Financed Porta-Potties Pitched To Combat E. Coli In American River
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A Sacramento man is on a mission to privately finance porta-potties along parts of the American River Parkway.
The goal is to stop the homeless from using the river as their bathroom. Evan Edgar is serious about his idea, even if he has given it a silly name.
"I put these on outhouses, themselves," Edgar said. "Operation Brown Trout."
Edgar has printed up "Operation Brown Trout" flyers. An urban dictionary search will find it as the number one phrase, to describe number two.
"When you're biking you don't want to see a brown trout on the trail," Edgar said. "You don't want to see a brown trout anywhere. You want it in the toilet."
Edgar's operation "brown trout" is a call to clean up the E. coli contamination in the American River Parkway. Recent tests show parts of the river have seven times the safe threshold.
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Edgar paid for one porta-potty near a homeless encampment along the river in April, but he says it was removed because it did not have a permit. Now he's seeking to place more privately-financed ports-potties along the river that are permitted.
"I got funding ready to go but I want to get a permit so I don't put that funding at risk," Edgar said.
Walter Neal uses the parkway to bike to and from work every day. He says the homeless mess is a big problem, but he is opposed to "Operation Brown Trout."
"I think people need to get help," Neal said. "They need to find a way to get people help."
Cleaning up the parkway. It's a dirty subject, Edgar is making his duty.
A Sacramento County Spokesperson says they are looking into the possibility the private porta-potties can get a permit.
Edgar says he would like them up by the end of the year.