The City of Alexandria recognizes Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week, taking place from June 1 through June 9, 2024, as an opportunity to celebrate the history and continue to protect the Chesapeake Bay. As part of this commemoration, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation will coordinate its annual Clean the Bay Day.

On May 28, 2024, Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson, on behalf of the Alexandria City Council, will be reading a proclamation at the City Council Second Legislative Session, affirming the City's commitment to the Chesapeake Bay and its natural resources, and to continue performing maintenance activities, stream cleanups, and implementing capital projects to protect it.

In celebration of Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week, the City's Department of Transportation and Environmental Services invites the community to participate in a stream cleanup event on Saturday, June 8, 2024, at Oronoco Bay Park, (100 Madison St.) The cleanup event will take place from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.

Clean the Bay Day, an annual event taking place the first week of June, is organized by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to bring communities together to clean and protect the waters at various locations along the Chesapeake Bay.

For those participating in the Clean the Bay Day event at Oronoco Bay, City staff will provide gloves, trash grabbers and bags, and first aid kits. Participants are encouraged to bring sunscreen, snacks, water, and wear appropriate clothing, including long pants and closed-toe shoes.

Clean the Bay Day is just one way to increase awareness of the importance of the Bay, not only for Awareness Week, but throughout the year. Additional actions to protect the Bay include:

• Keep pet waste out of the City's storm drains, which causes bacteria contamination. Pick up and properly dispose of pet waste in a trash can.
• Keep the City litter-free, as waste dropped on streets, sidewalks, or parks ends up in local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay.
• Reduce or eliminate fertilizer use on home lawns. Excess fertilizer causes poor water quality. Consider applying for a ten-percent Stormwater Utility Fee credit for the no-fertilizer pledge.

If you suspect contamination entering the City's waterways, please contact Alex311.

For more information on the City's efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay and other local waterways, please visit the Stormwater website.