Athens Rivers Alive Volunteer Registration Now Open

Site sign-ups are up and running for the 2020 Rivers Alive event on Saturday, October 24.

Rivers Alive is Georgia's annual volunteer river clean-up event that encourages civic involvement in the preservation of Georgia's precious water resources. Our waterways provide us with fresh drinking water, important wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities that serve as a respite from our busy day-to-day lives, now more than ever!

As you probably guessed, this year's event will look slightly different due to COVID-19. We will not be hosting a kick-off event, clean-up sites will be limited to 10 volunteers each, and we will not accommodate any walk-up/day-of volunteer registration. All volunteers must pre-register on our GivePulse page, which requires reading and signing-off on the 2020 Rivers Alive COVID-19 Agreement. The agreement outlines safety precautions for the day of the event, including self-reporting temperatures, mandatory masks, social distancing, and more. We are also offering an independent clean-up opportunity for those who are not comfortable participating in the larger group sites.

On the morning of the event, volunteers will meet directly at their chosen sites and should bring a reusable water bottle, bug spray, wear long pants and close-toed shoes, and come prepared to get wet and dirty.

Volunteer registration will close on Friday, October 9. For more information and to register for a clean-up site, visit www.accgov.com/riversalive.

Reminders About Your Most Recent Stormwater Utility Bill

All property owners in Athens-Clarke County pay a Stormwater Utility Fee, and all Utility Fee customers should have received a bill in the months of July, August, or September. We encourage customers to take advantage of our online payment system (with no extra fees) to pay your bill and/or change a billing address. We are not accepting walk-in payments at this time, so if you would like to make an in-person cash or check payment, please take advantage of the drop boxes at the ACCGov Water Business Office on Hancock Avenue. Check or money order payments can be mailed to:

Athens-Clarke County Stormwater Utility
P.O. Box 117096
Atlanta, GA 30368-7096

Please include your Stormwater account number on any written checks.

Billing Staff understand that COVID-19 has taken a financial toll on many Athens-Clarke County residents. If you are having trouble paying your bill and would like to set-up a payment plan, please call Billing Staff at 706-613-3440 and select option "2."

If you have any questions about your account, call the number above or email stormwater@accgov.com.

Last Call for Photo Submissions

Any photographers out there? Stormwater Staff will be starting to put together the fourth edition of our Stormwater Calendar soon, and this is the last week we will be accepting submissions. If you'd like to submit a water or nature-themed photo to be considered for the 2021 calendar, please email it to stormwater@accgov.com with the name of the photographer, along with a brief description of where, when, and why it was taken. It might get published in our calendar!

Upcoming Events

Upper Oconee Science and Policy Summit
Friday, September 25, 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Online

Join the Upper Oconee Watershed Network and partners to explore the intersection between watershed science, management, and policy development in the Upper Oconee watershed. The Summit will consist of virtual presentations followed by a panel discussion of plastics and the environment in Georgia. Register to attend at www.uown.org.

Green Thumb Lecture Series: Soil Health
Wednesday, October 14, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Online via ZOOM

Join Athens-Clarke County Extension for a free, educational webinar about soil health. Gardeners of all experience levels are welcome. Register in advance at www.accgov.com/gardening to be emailed the Zoom link.

Trashercise with Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful
June through October
Anywhere!

Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful challenges residents to complete their own "Trashercise" workout (walk, walk/jog, jog, run; trail, road, or wherever!) and keep your neighborhood clean. Bring a bag, some gloves or a grabber, and cleanup your favorite exercise route. Reserve tools and report your cleanup online at www.keepathensbeautiful.org or contact carlos.pinto@accgov.com if you’d like to borrow supplies.

Contact Us

Stormwater Management Program
Department of Transportation and Public Works
Athens-Clarke County Unified Government
120 W. Dougherty Street
Athens, GA 30601
706-613-3440
stormwater@accgov.com
www.accgov.com/stormwater

Notice Dumping?

Call the Stormwater Hotline at 706-614-1282 if you see someone dumping into a storm drain or notice flooding due to clogged drains or pipes.