Every year when the first rains hit Santa Monica in either  October or November, all of the litter that has accumulated in streets and curb-side catch basins during the dry season washes into the storm drains and enters the ocean at the mouth of the Pico Kenter Storm Drain. For seven years, Team Marine has documented this phenomenon, known as the “first flush,” and has sent out numerous press releases to raise awareness about this issue to the City of Santa Monica. Installing a boom net at the storm drain mouth will collect much of the trash that pollutes our oceans, washes up on our shores, and threatens tourism.

While the City of Santa Monica has taken commendable steps in addressing this issue through litter reduction policies, there is still a need to collect litter outflow from the first flush because underground storm drains don’t know city boundaries.