CAMDEN — Efforts to improve water quality in Camden Harbor are focusing on ducks, drugs and various types of polluting discharge.
Ducks A sign at the public landing near the fisherman’s float, and another at one of the entrances to Harbor Park advise against feeding the ducks.
Prior to that vote, Jason Peasley, the owner of River Ducks Ice Cream, voluntarily stopped selling a corn-based feed for ducks.
signs posted at numerous locations in Camden, Rockport, and Rockland is another Conservation Commission effort, this one to protect marine animals from medications, which are another source of water pollution when not disposed of properly.
Neither location accept liquids or sharps (needles), Ruesswick said.
Discharge A general lack of awareness that anything put into storm drains ends up in Camden Harbor and other bodies of water, is cited in a water quality grant application prepared by the Conservation Commission.
The town has provided free pump-out service at the harbor since 2003, and in 2010 all discharges from boats was prohibited.
Education is key to boater awareness, according to Rittmaster.
The Commission is also working with the Camden Wastewater Department on a long-term project to locate and correct any cross-connections between the sewer and storm drain systems.
The Conservation Commission is seeking to hire a summer intern to assist the Wastewater Department with property surveys regarding storm and sewer systems, as well as the storm drain stencil program.