Officials add wattles on Mardi Gras parade route to try to protect storm drains
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)-- Public officials, local businesses and organizations collaborated to protect storm drains and the Vermilion River from pollution from Mardi Gras celebrations.
The goal of the rock wattles is to try to catch all the Mardi Gras beads that people aren't taking home before they get into the storm drains and then eventually get into the Vermillion River.
"This is the first time that we've implemented storm wattles to protect our storm drains,” Sarah Mary Toce, Parish Proud development director, said. “Basically, Parish Proud and UL, we've just been trying to think of ways to make our Mardi Gras more sustainable and ways that, of course, won't kill any of the fun. We'll keep the culture vibrant, but we'll also respect the community and keep it just as vibrant before and after the parades."
News 10 was out with the crews as they placed 16 rock wattles along the parade route.
"We felt like this has been an unbelievable way for our guys to give back to the community so we're using the rock wattles to let water still get into the drainage, but also stop the Mardi Gras beads from getting in there and contaminating our waterways and getting back into the Vermilion,” Ben Simms, vice president of Lemoine Company, said.
"It's just a pilot attempt right now,” Toce said. “We want to confirm that this effort is going to work, that it's meaningful, and that the community has responded positively, and if so, then we're going to continue it down the entire parade route next year, hopefully."
There is a UL Lafayette legend: If you litter, you might find yourself getting a visit from the coulee monster who is protecting the waterways.
"You know you don't want to litter just to bring him out for sure,” Gretchen Vanicor, director of sustainability at UL Lafayette, said. “But, you know, he comes out during the Mardi Gras festival just to remind people that any of that litter that goes into the storm drain might end up in his friend's home. People say there's a possum hanging out on his shoulder named Hero. I don't know. Are you the Coulee monster?"
The parade started at 7 p.m. Be careful not to run into the Coulee Monster for littering this Mardi Gras season.