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AGENDA
INFORMATION UPDATE
July 22, 2019
4:00 PM,
I.INFORMATION UPDATE
I.A.“Keep It Clean” Informational Campaign Updates
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MEMORANDUM
TO:Mayor and City Council
FROM:Wyatt Young, Stormwater Intern, City of Aspen
THRU:April Long, P.E., Clean River Program Manager, City of Aspen
Margaret Medellin, P.E., Utilities Portfolio Manager, City of Aspen
Tyler Christoff, P.E., Interim Utilities Director, City of Aspen
DATE OF MEMO:July 1, 2019
RE:“Keep It Clean” Informational Campaign Updates
SUMMARY: City staff would like to update City Council on the launch and implementation of
the “Keep It Clean” informational campaign in Aspen and throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.
DISCUSSION: The City of Aspen has partnered with Roaring Fork Conservancy, Colorado
Rural Water Association, Eagle River Watershed Council, Middle Colorado Watershed Council
and most municipal water suppliers in the Roaring Fork Valley to educate the public about the
importance of source water protection and best management practices that individuals can adopt
to do their part in protection of our rivers. Funding, in the form of grants and contributions
(Aspen contributed $1000 for three years), has been secured for the City of Aspen and its
partners to participate in a valley-wide message and campaign. Starting in July, you will see
signs along roadways and streams, reminding us all to “Keep It Clean ‘Cause We’re All
Downstream!”.
The Keep It Clean campaign is important because our waterways are not only sources for
drinking water but are also a large component of outdoor recreation in the area and are used by
many visitors and residents. The main sources of drinking water for Aspen are Castle and
Maroon Creeks. The Roaring Fork River provides supplemental drinking water supply to the
town of Carbondale, recreational water for the Roaring Fork Valley, and riparian habitat for 90%
of the wildlife in the watershed. Additionally, the City completed a Source Water Protection Plan
in 2016 and public education and outreach was identified as an important action item and best
management practice. Therefore, Colorado Rural Water Association and Roaring Fork
Conservancy obtained grants and secured funding from the Colorado Department of Public
Health and Environment (CDPHE) as well as members of the “Keep It Clean” West Slope
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Partnership. The partners are primarily using the funding to install signs near local water sources
and engage with the public at local events to explain the valley-wide message.
The “Keep It Clean”Campaign kicked off the first week of July. Engineering Department staff
were present at the City of Aspen booth at the Aspen Farmer’s Market on July 6th to educate the
public and distribute “Keep It Clean”brochures and materials. Roaring Fork Conservancy and
other partners are providing radio interviews and press releases throughout July. Street signs
(see Figure 1 below) will be posted near bridges on Maroon Creek Road (pending Pitkin County
approval), Power Plant Road (for Castle Creek) and near the Krajian pedestrian bridge near Rio
Grande Park (for the Roaring Fork River) the second week of July.
Figure 1: Keep It Clean Roaring Fork River sign for Cooper St Bridge.
The full list of members in the “Keep It Clean”West Slope Partnership are the City of Aspen,
City of Glenwood Springs, Pitkin County, Eagle County, Garfield County, Eagle River
Watershed Council, Middle Colorado Watershed Council, Town of Basalt, Town of Carbondale,
Town of Eagle, Town of Gypsum,Town of Vail, Roaring Fork Conservancy, and White River
National Forest.For more information about the campaign and its message, visit
http://www.roaringfork.org/keepitclean/or email April.long@cityofaspen.com.
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