ROCHESTER, Minn.-Rochester was awarded a grant from the environmental protection agency to improve the water quality in the Zumbro river.
This grant is so the city can create a green space and they’re starting by addressing storm water run off. KIMT News 3’s Jeremiah Wilcox spoke to new moms in the area who tell him they want to see a more green Rochester.
Claire Langton-Yanoitz and Megan Chan consider themselves to be green
“We do cloth diapers and ya know try to be environmental,” Said Yanoitz.
Rochester Public Works Department Coordinator Megan Moeller tells me that the there isn't a major issue with the water quality in the river. but it's more of a way to show how going green in a growing urban environment will help the community.
“Our surface waters gets the storm water runoff that doesn't get clean so that's fertilizer animal waste salt from the deicing in the winter time that gets picked up by rain water and carried to our surface waters often without treatment so it can act as a pollutant storm water,” Moeller said.
“Anything to help clean it up sounds like a good idea,” Chan said.
Construction will start tomorrow and close off the sidewalk of 1st ave. The work is expected to be completed July 31st.
