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Q&A
Discussion on bioswale maintenance, cleaning, and resource allocation
1:04:50
ยท
3 min
Council Member Nurse inquires about DEP's bioswale maintenance practices, including budget, personnel, and cleaning frequency. DEP officials respond with information on current practices and challenges.
- DEP has over 10,000 bioswales and is expanding the network
- Maintenance is prioritized for areas with frequent litter and dumping issues
- DEP faces staffing challenges and is trying to fill vacancies
- Nurse emphasizes the need for consistent maintenance, especially in working-class communities
- DEP agrees to provide follow-up information on ideal staffing and resource scenarios for bioswale maintenance
Sandy Nurse
1:04:50
Right.
1:04:51
So it would make sense while we have you and who knows what the future is to start that work.
1:05:00
So yeah, I mean I think for me I certainly would be advocating for resources to make that a priority for DEP and DCAST.
1:05:10
I'm gonna shift gears on some small district level or I mean it's not district level.
1:05:17
For DEP bioswell maintenance, how much money do you dedicate to cleaning and maintaining bioswales?
Rohit Aggarwala
1:05:28
I don't know if you looked that up well.
Sandy Nurse
1:05:30
And maybe if you have, like how many how many personnel are dedicated to that?
Rohit Aggarwala
1:05:37
Sorry.
1:05:38
I'm I'm I'm sure we've got it here.
1:05:40
I don't carry that number in my head.
1:05:43
We have been in the process of using seasonal labor because kind of obviously it's it's greenery so the the needs are are higher during the summer months.
1:05:53
I believe it's a hundred lines.
Sandy Nurse
1:05:56
And while you all are looking for that, is there a frequency that they're cleaned?
1:06:02
I understand that you're saying seasonal.
1:06:05
And are there priority areas where you get more complaints?
Rohit Aggarwala
1:06:16
Oh you can, okay great, thanks.
Anastasios Georgelis
1:06:19
So we are growing the network of bioswales that we have.
1:06:23
We're in just over the 10,000 mark, 13,000 that we have so far.
1:06:29
So we wish we could get to everyone every week, but we don't have the resources to do that.
1:06:36
But we do prioritize the ones that are the most frequent congested with litter, dumping and stuff.
1:06:44
You know, if there's specific ones that you have issues with you can forward to us?
Sandy Nurse
1:06:48
I have a thousand specific ones, but I mean it's
Anastasios Georgelis
1:06:51
more about a
Sandy Nurse
1:06:51
comprehensive ability to keep them clean.
1:06:55
Sanitation doesn't really pick them up, it's not really their job and we get ping ponged around.
1:07:00
So what would be an ideal amount of personnel or resource that would allow you all to address the bioswales on a regular consistent basis?
Anastasios Georgelis
1:07:11
I don't have that staffing number.
1:07:14
It is an area that we do have vacancies that we're trying to fill now.
1:07:19
And we have in the past tried to get some kind of a partnership, maybe similar to council member wrestlers adopt a catch basin if we get folks from maybe the homeowners or on the private sector
Sandy Nurse
1:07:34
I mean I'm coming from a very maybe working class community.
1:07:39
The last thing that they have time for is to go clean a bioswale.
1:07:43
Other districts might have that enthusiasm, mine doesn't.
1:07:47
They just want the city to take care of what they're supposed to take care of with the tax money that they give to the city.
1:07:54
So if in the follow-up you could provide what an ideal scenario would be for you all, you know, seasonal is great but in the winter months it's also when there isn't vegetation it's also very glaringly dirty and messy.
1:08:11
A lot of times those things get closed out with no real response and it just doesn't seem like there's a consistent plan for bioswale maintenance.
1:08:22
And we understand the importance that they play but we also need to take care of them so that they actually function.
Rohit Aggarwala
1:08:30
We will get back to you with Yes,
Sandy Nurse
1:08:32
would repeat that.