HCWA and Henry County Rivers Alive Volunteers Collect 3 Tons of Trash

The Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) and Henry County Stormwater Department hosted the annual Henry County Rivers Alive cleanup Friday (Oct. 10), when 20 volunteers worked to remove an estimated 3 tons of trash and debris from the watershed at a site near Long Branch Creek.
The theme of this year’s Henry County Rivers Alive is: “Be the solution to water pollution.” One Rivers Alive volunteer appears to embody that standard.
“A community doesn’t clean itself,” says Rey De Los Santos, a graduate of the HCWA Citizen Academy this past summer, where he learned of the many opportunities the Authority provides for public involvement in water conservation and preservation projects.
“I try to help where I can through servant leadership, and this is a fun project, too,” says De Los Santos. “We can see the impact of our work right away.”
Mary Hernandez, Henry County Stormwater Engineer, noted the partnership between the Henry County Water Authority and Henry County Stormwater Management has been a productive one – not just in hosting successful Rivers Alive cleanups, but in collaboration on annual reports to the state to maintain local NPDES permits, which are necessary for operations at both organizations.
“Ultimately, we’re trying to keep our streams and rivers clean, so our citizens can fish, kayak, and enjoy the outdoors,” says Hernandez. “This event helps to improve the quality of those rivers and streams.”
Rivers Alive volunteer Mark LaRue is a part of the Walnut Creek Watershed Coalition with a vested interest in the water quality in Henry County.

“Whatever trash is on the ground will eventually make its way into our creeks, so (this event) is important for keeping our water (resources) clean,” says LaRue.
Henry County Rivers Alive is an official event of the Georgia Rivers Alive Campaign, which is Georgia’s Annual Waterway Cleanup and a Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) Outreach Program, targeting creeks, streams, rivers, lakes/reservoirs, beaches, and wetlands across the state.
The mission of Georgia Rivers Alive is to create awareness of and involvement in the preservation of Georgia’s water resources.




The 2025 Henry County Rivers Alive cleanup resulted in 3 tons of trash and debris being removed from the watershed.








Mark LaRue, with the Walnut Creek Watershed Coalition, collects trash during the 2025 Henry County Rivers Alive.





















The HCWA’s Adam Waits (left) and Jeremy Newell (right) remove an old television during the 2025 Henry County Rivers Alive.




















Mati Croft (left) and Mary Hernandez (right), with Henry County Stormwater, record trash being collected during the 2025 Henry County Rivers Alive.


















The HCWA’s Jake Hill collects trash and debris being removed from the watershed during the 2025 Henry County Rivers Alive.