YOU CAN SEE THE BOAT IS ALMOST COMPLETELY UNDERWATER. AMAZINGLY, NO ONE GOT HURT.
BISCAYNE BAY IS REALLY AT A
DANGEROUS TIPPING POINT RIGHT
NOW.
IF WE DON’T IMMEDIATELY
ADDRESS ALL THE LAND BASED
POLLUTION CONSTANTLY BEING
DUMPED INTO IT, WE COULD LOSE
THAT FRAGILE SEA GRASS SYSTEM
THAT GIVES THE BAY LIFE.
>> ONE OF THE CRITICAL PIECES
TO SOLVING THIS PUZZLE IS
UPGRADING OUR STORM WATER
SYSTEM COUNTY WIDE.
WE’RE SHOWING YOU HOW THE CITY
OF MIAMI IS STEPPING UP.
MIAMI’S LITTLE HAVANA WAS
RECENTLY DEEMED A NATIONAL
TREASURE BY THE NATIONAL TRUST
FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
SO WHY ARE THE STREETS
INUNDATED WITH TRASH?
>> THERE’S TRASH ALL OVER THE
STREETS HERE.
>> CHRISTINE IS THE DIRECTOR
OF A DADE HERITAGE TRUST,
WORKING WITH A NON-PROFIT,
HEALTHY LITTLE HAVANA, TO
CLEAN THESE STREETS UP.
>> LITTLE HAVANA HAS BECOME A
DUMPING GROUND FOR PEOPLE.
THERE’S VERY LITTLE
ENFORCEMENT
ENFORCEMENT.
ENFORCEMENT ENFORCEMENT. >> ALMOST ALL THE STORM DRAINS
ARE CLOGGED WITH TRASH.
>> SOME HAVE GRATES TO PREVENT
THAT DEBRIS FROM GOING IN,
MOST DO NOT
MOST DO NOT. AND IT DOESN’T ALL COME FROM LITTLE HAVANA.
FROM EDGEWATER TO MORNING
SIDE.
THE SCENE IS HEARTBREAKING.
THIS RESIDENT REGULARLY SWIMS
THE BAY WITH HER FRIENDS.
THE AMOUNT OF TRASH SHE’S SEEN
FLOWING IS OVERWHELMING.
>> YOU ARE SWIMMING OVER
MOUNDS OF TRASH.
YOU ARE LITERALLY STROKE FOR
STROKE SWIM INGMING OVER A RAIN
OF CANS.
IT’S UNBELIEVABLE.
>> AFTER A HEAVY RAIN, THEY
DON’T EVEN SWIM ANYMORE.
INSTEAD, THEY PICKUP TRASH.
>> THIS IS WHAT WE GATHERED IN
LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES.
>> IF WE DON’T PICK IT UP,
IT’S JUST GONNA GET DISPERSED
THROUGHOUT THE BAY.
>> IT’S GOTTEN SO BAD, THE
CITY OF MIAMI HAS CONTRACTED A
COMPANY TO INSTALL NETTING TO
TRAP THE MOUNDS AND MOUNDS OF
LITTER BEFORE IT ENTERS THE
WATER.
ON MARCH 23RD, CONTRACTORS
WERE OUT HERE MEASURING THE
OUTFALL FOR NETTING LIKE THIS
THAT WILL BE INSTALLED IN
AUGUST.
>> IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH AN
OBVIOUS SOLUTION.
>> THERE ARE 480 OUTFALLS THAT
DUMP INTO BISCAYNE BAY IN THE
CITY OF MIAMI ALONE.
THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM THAT
IF SUCCESSFUL WILL BE
REPLICATED AT OTHER OUTFALLS
THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
>> WE’RE LOOKING FOR ANY NEW
IDEAS THAT KEEPS BAR GAJ OUT
OF THE BAY.
>> THE CITY IS INVESTING $270
THOUSAND TO INSTALLING DRAINS
AND CATCH STATIONS IN DOWNTOWN
MIAMI TO PREVENT ALL THAT
LITTER FROM EVEN ENTERING THE
STORM WATER SYSTEM.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, LAST
SUMMER’S FISH KILL KICKED THE
PROGRAM INTO HIGH GEAR.
>> SEEING SOMETHING THIS
TRAUMATIC ALLOWS US TO ACT
FASTER.
>> THERE ARE 28,000 STORM
TRAINS IN THE CITY OF MIAMI.
ALL THESE SOLUTIONS MOVED THE
NEEDLE FORWARD.
BUT THE ONLY WAY TO TRULY
SOLVE THE PROBLEM IS TO WAKE
EVERYBODY UP.
THE CONSTANT LITTERING
HAPPENING ALL OVER MIAMI-DADE
COUNTY HAS TO STOP.
>> GETTING RESIDENTS TO CARE,
I THINK, HAS TO START WITH
EDUCATING THEM.
IT’S NOT GOOD FOR THEM, NOT
GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND
CERTAINLY ISN’T GOOD FOR
BISCAYNE BAY.
>> OUR STORM DRAINS NEED MAJOR
HELP.
BUT IT’S UP TO EACH
MUNICIPALITY TO UPGRADE THEM.
THE COUNTY HAS NO
JURISDICTION.