Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Deploys 3rd Litter Control Boom In Erie At Erie Water Works

With funding from the DEP Coastal Resource Management, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is continuing its collaboration with numerous individuals, organizations, and businesses to actively address and combat litter that makes its way into the waters of Presque Isle Bay, Lake Erie, and ultimately the ocean. 

Through the installation of litter control booms, devices designed to capture floating debris and prevent its spread, this initiative actively works to safeguard waterways by collecting and removing trash before it can cause further environmental harm. 

On May 8, a litter control boom was deployed on Erie Water Works property, the third such installation in Presque Isle Bay. 

This deployment coincides with Safe Drinking Water Week, observed from May 4 to 10, which aims to increase public understanding of water systems and the vital role of safe drinking water. 

Following the deployment of the litter boom, a cleanup of the bay and shoreline at Erie Water Works property was held to support ongoing efforts to reduce pollution and protect the local ecosystem. 

Volunteers worked to remove debris and raise awareness about the impact of waste on water quality.

Nearly 12 million people rely on Lake Erie for their drinking water, underscoring the importance of preventing trash and debris from entering the lake and actively removing any pollution that does occur. 

Clean, dependable drinking water is essential, not just for public health, but also for economic prosperity and maintaining a high quality of life.

“Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie are more than just waterways, they are lifelines for millions of people who depend on them for public health, prosperity, and recreation,”  said Craig Palmer, CEO, Erie Water Works. “Protecting our water source by deploying litter control booms highlights what can be accomplished when local partners collaborate to take action and implement solutions that have meaningful impacts on our environment. 

“Clean water is a shared responsibility, and today’s efforts will help to enhance the future of these ecosystems for generations to come.” 

In 2023, two booms were installed on the leased-campus of Lakeshore Towing Services, on property owned by the Erie Pennsylvania Port Authority.   

The new litter boom site is located in an unnamed tributary to Presque Isle Bay, adjacent to a stormwater discharge outfall on property owned by Erie Water Works. 

The new site will be added to the rounds for interns from the Regional Science Consortium at Tom Ridge Environmental Center, who will continue to monitor the sites, collect the trash that accumulates in the booms and evaluate the data. 

An analysis of the thousands of pieces of litter captured by the booms during the pilot phase, indicated cigarette butt litter was the most prevalent, followed by foam pieces, then plastic pieces. 

Future analyses will examine the occurrence of correlations between meteorological conditions and the presence of litter. 

Information gleaned from this program will aid in determining how to reduce the amount of trash entering the waterway.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is distributing portable ashtrays to adult tobacco users at various marinas along Presque Isle and shoreline that are under the jurisdiction of the Port Authority to reduce the amount of cigarette butts and other tobacco products that make their way into the waterway. 

“Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is grateful for this collaborative effort to keep Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie clean and beautiful. Not only does trash adversely affect water quality, it harms wildlife, the local economy and tourism. Every cigarette butt and piece of litter that is disposed properly is a step closer to cleaner and safer waterways,” said Don Benczkowski, Program Coordinator, Lake Erie Region, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful will report results to the Ocean Conservancy who will analyze litter trends and sources.   

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, visit their YouTube Channel.

The 2025 Pick Up Pennsylvania Initiative is now underway!  Questions should be directed to Michelle Dunn at 1-877-772-3673 Ext. 113 or send email to: mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

Keep PA Beautiful helps mobilize over 100,000 volunteers a year to pick up litter, clean up illegal dumping and beautify Pennsylvania.

(Photos: Craig Palmer, CEO, Erie Water Works (6th from left, back) and Erie Water Works employees picked up 10 bags of trash and four tires from the area between the Erie Water Works administration building and the outfall; Litter boom installation.) 

Resource Link:

-- Keep PA Beautiful Seeking Volunteers To Become PA Waterway Stewards To Reduce Litter On Water Trails, Waterways  [PaEN]

Related Articles:

-- American250PA, Keep PA Beautiful Award Over $30,000 In Community Improvement Grants  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna Greenway Partnership: 850+ Volunteers Collected 81,261 Pounds Of Litter, Trash At 24 Community Cleanup Events  [PaEN] 

-- Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Deploys 3rd Litter Control Boom In Erie At Erie Water Works  [PaEN]

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-- Reading Eagle: 385 Pounds Of Drugs Collected At Drug Take Back In Berks

[Posted: May 8, 2025]  PA Environment Digest