About the UP3 Project

Urban Creek Overflow Photo credit: SWAMP,
S.F. Bay Water Board

Background:

Preventing water pollution from urban pesticide use is the goal of the Urban Pesticide Pollution Prevention (UP3) Project. Funded by a State Water Resources Control Board to the San Francisco Estuary Partnership, the UP3 Project addresses the California creeks with sediment that is toxic to aquatic life— toxicity caused by commonly used urban insecticides. Pesticides used by professionals and homeowners to kill ants and other insects can be washed into creeks when it rains (or during irrigation). Researchers continue to find evidence of widespread toxicity caused by a group of commonly used insecticides known as pyrethroids.

The UP3 Project works to reduce this toxicity in our creeks in three main ways:

A partner in the UP3 Project grant, TDC Environmental, LLC provides technical assistance with monitoring and science, and regulatory activities.

UP3 Highlights:

For more information, contact

Athena Honore
UP3 Project Manager
San Francisco Estuary Partnership
1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400
Oakland, CA 94612
510-622-2325
up3@waterboards.ca.gov