The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) granted $3.1 million to 13 cities to improve water quality by keeping roadside trash out of waterways in 13 cities throughout the county, officials announced last week.
The county’s approach is preventative—focusing on catching and removing litter and debris from roads before they make their way into waterways and the ocean, according to OCTA’s statement released Nov. 21.
The funds will be used to purchase or upgrade filters for catch bins and other tools.
A heavy rainstorm raises the water levels of the San Diego Creek in Irvine, Calif., on Dec. 14, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)
The projects are funded by Measure M, a half-cent sales tax approved by county voters in 2006 for environmentally friendly transportation improvements. The measure is expected to generate nearly $12 billion over its 30-year lifetime, according to the Orange County Business Council website….