Residents call on City of Fort Worth to help with debris collection at Lake Worth after storms
FORT WORTH, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - The historic rains swept an extraordinary amount of trash and litter into Lake Worth, one of the main water sources for the City of Fort Worth.
"Kind of shock when I saw it," said Bobby Graves, whose son-in-law owns a home on Lake Worth.
Neighbors said the floating island of trash - filled with Styrofoam cups, bottles, and debris - forms every major storm, and they've been fighting for years to get the city to take action.
"It's consistent," said Susie Flail, who lives on a cove on the south side of Lake Worth. "It happens at least two to three times a year. Even though this was a really heavy rain, this isn't uncommon."
According to Flail, the wind and currents will eventually disperse the garbage into their yards or carry it into the Trinity River.
It doesn't just affect their quality of life. Since Lake Worth is one of the main sources for the City of Fort Worth's water, they're concerned about the big picture.
"I understand if you don't live on this lake, out of sight – out of mind," she said. "But you have to realize, that is what our City of Fort Worth water is. Care about that, even if you don't live on this lake. Understand that your children, your family members – this is going to be in your faucet."
Neighbors said they've written letters and gone to Fort Worth City Council meetings in the past few years, but nothing has been done.
"I feel like we've exhausted our means of trying to get someone to listen," said Flail.
The district director for the council member who represents the area confirmed the issue was brought to their attention last summer, and they turned it over to city staff.
After CBS 11 called and emailed the City of Fort Worth to see if they have any plans to address the problem, some city crews did show up. They said it was too big of a job for them, and they needed different equipment.
The City's Environmental Health Services department said, "We will do everything we can to get project assigned quickly."
Neighbors are hopefully not only will this trash get cleaned up, but the city will also come up with a more permanent solution to prevent it from accumulating the next time it rains.
"The reality is, if someone doesn't start caring, this is just going to continue," Flail said.
According to the City of Fort Worth, clean-ups are being planned, beginning the weekend of Aug. 27 at 8:30 a.m., at Lake Arlington, Lake Worth, and the Trinity River.
To report debris that needs attention, Fort Worth residents can call 817-392-1234.
They can also take debris to any of the city's four drop-off stations anytime; amounts are unlimited. You will need a City water bill to show proof of residency.