NEW CASTLE, DE – New Castle County’s “Great Schools, Clean Streams” campaign starts April 12! Residents have until Friday, April 30th to support their local schools by pledging to dispose of used cooking grease properly online at www.greatschoolscleanstreams.org. Nineteen New Castle County schools will win a share of the $10,000 in cash prizes to purchase classroom materials or support campus projects.
“We need your help to protect the environment,” County Executive Matt Meyer said. “Sign our Great Schools Clean Streams pledge to set aside leftover cooking grease in a can and throw it in the trash. Small acts make a big difference in keeping our county sewer system clear and reducing pollution in our streams.”
Each participant assigns their pledge to the school of their choice in New Castle County. The schools that collect the most pledges win cash awards for classroom materials and school projects. Children and youth under the age of 18 can also participate by signing the pledge poster on display at their school.
Nineteen schools from three categories based on enrollment size will win cash awards in 2021. First, second and third place awards from each category will receive awards of $1,250, $750 and $500, and all schools with 50 or more pledges will be entered into a wild card drawing for one of ten $250 awards.
School enrollment categories are:
● 1 - 299 students
● 300 - 599 students
● 600 or more students
New Castle County operates Delaware's largest wastewater treatment system with more than 1,800 miles of sanitary sewer lines that serve 122,000 customers and handle 50 millions of gallons of flow each day. Cooking grease and oils that are poured down the drain attach to the walls of sewer pipes and are a leading cause of sewer blockages, backups and spills which harm the environment and create significant cleanup costs.
New Castle County has reduced the number of backups and overflows by 40% over the past two years through regular monitoring and cleaning and through public outreach like the Great School, Clean Streams campaign.
New Castle County wastewater treatment system quick facts:
● 50+ Million Gallons of Wastewater Daily
● 1,800 Miles of Sanitary Sewer lines
● 45,000 Manholes
● 172 Pumping Stations
● 500+ miles of sewer line cleaned annually
● 3 Wastewater Treatment Plants
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