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World Water Day 2026

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In celebration of World Water Day 2026, the Silver City Watershed Keepers program is organizing two events to protect and celebrate the waterways and sanitation system of Silver City.

World Water Day, officially observed on March 22nd, is a United Nations annual day of observance focused on the importance of clean water and sanitation systems. World Water Day is a day to celebrate the importance of water to human societies and also raise awareness for those that can’t access it. 2.1 billion people around the world live without access to safe water. The Silver City Watershed Keepers program celebrates this day annually with a litter cleanup and by offering educational opportunities to learn about and protect Silver City’s water resources and sanitation system.

For our First World Water Day event, our Pick It Up – Toss No Más monthly litter cleanup will be themed around World Water Day. During this cleanup, happening on Saturday, March 21st, from 9 am – noon, we’re encouraging volunteers to clean up trash, litter, and other potential contaminants from Silver City roads, parks, and trails near waterways. If you’re interested in learning more about our monthly litter cleanups, visit our Pick It Up – Toss No Más website at silvercitytossnomas.org.

Our second World Water Day event will take place during the following weekend, on Sunday, March 29th. We’ll be leading a hike along San Vicente Creek focused on the historical importance of this waterway to the industries and sanitation systems of our Town. The hike will feature a guest expert, Bob Schiowitz. Bob is a retired Forest Service archaeologist, serves on Silver City’s Trails and Open Space Advisory Committee, and is an active outdoorsman, mountain biker, and trail builder. As hikers travel along San Vicente Creek, they will enjoy spring wildflower blooms and migratory bird songs, learn about historical land and water usage, and view the status of ecological restoration work being conducted along the Creek. Whether it’s your first time on San Vicente Creek or you’re a local expert, you will enjoy coming together with community members on this easy-moderate hike. 

Hikers can meet at the San Vicente Creek trailhead located beneath the Hudson St. Bridge from 8:30am – 9:00am on Sunday, March 29th. The hike will begin at 9:00am. We will hike approximately 2 miles as a group, then participants are free to return to leave for lunch or continue their exploration of the San Vicente trail system on their own. The trail terrain is unpaved, covers mostly flat ground with a few areas with uneven surfaces and moderate inclines. There will be shallow creek crossings, which will get shoes wet and muddy. Please bring plenty of water, sun protection, and appropriate shoes.

Our cleanups and hikes are fun for all ages! Children 17 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

We hope to see you there!

For more information about the event, contact Alesia Hallmark at 575-538-8078 or at silvercitywatershedkeepers@gmail.com

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Clean-up Program Protects Local Waters

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Silver City Watershed Keepers continues to protect local waters through its Pick It Up – Toss No Más initiative and advocacy at our state capitol.

2024 was a banner year for the Pick It Up – Toss No Mas program, which continued to have a huge impact in the Silver City watershed. During this calendar year, the program hosted ten monthly clean-up events. We also supported the clean-up efforts of groups like  Fight Like A Girl , San Vicente Consortium, Trails and Open Space Advisory Committee, and Aldo Leopold student groups who worked on additional days. Our volunteers gave 648 hours of their valuable time and cleaned a staggering 9,344 lbs of litter and debris out of our community. 

Keeping our community clean saves taxpayer money and promotes healthier living conditions. Did you know that litter accumulation in our community can decrease property values by 7% and tourism revenue by 39%? Keeping Silver City clean and beautiful puts more money into local taxpayers’ pockets. Using Independent Sector’s calculated value of a volunteer-hour, our 2024 volunteers also saved the town of Silver City and the Department of Transportation $14,500 in wages, allowing them to focus more money and time on critical infrastructure and road repair projects. Litter and piles of debris don’t just cause a financial strain. Then can attract pests and be a vector for infectious illnesses. Solid waste can clog culverts and piping, creating dangerous flash floods and sanitary sewer overflows. It’s unfortunate that litter accumulates month after month, but it’s so important to continue our volunteer cleanup efforts and keep Silver City clean and beautiful. 

We are so grateful for the individuals, teams, and organizations that work to keep our community litter-free. In addition to the financial and health benefits they provide for our community, our volunteers also enjoy building social connections, build a sense of pride in our City, enjoy spending time outdoors, and see themselves as positive role models. 

Because of the financial, health, and environmental repercussions of litter, organizations across the state have joined forces to create the Breaking Bad Habits campaign. As part of the Breaking Bad Habits Advocacy Day at the Capitol, we were able to share success stories and challenges with fellow anti-litter and stream protection groups from across the state. We advocated for the needs of Silver City residents and small businesses. As part of SB225, we are hoping to increase funding for highway cleanups, park beautification events, student groups, code enforcement, and solid waste infrastructure in Silver City. HB392 will create a state-wide ban on single-use plastic bags, mirroring Silver City’s 2015 Ordinance, and increase support for reusable and biodegradable packaging across the state. If passed, we will advocate for state funding to come to Silver City!

In 2025, we are continuing to host monthly themed community cleanup events that connect our community to global efforts, ask local businesses to take our Business Pledge to keep their property clean of litter, and recruit more local clubs and groups to participate in our cleanup events. We’ll also be producing new videos about how to properly dispose of unusual and hazardous waste, as well as the dangers of flushing inappropriate items and disposing of waste materials in our waterways. If you want more updates about this program, visit the Pick It Up – Toss No Más website and sign up for the e-newsletter!