SALISBURY, Md. — The City of Salisbury has installed new trash nets on municipal stormwater outfall pipes. Officials said the goal is to reduce pollution in public waterways.

The project was carried out by the city’s Department of Infrastructure and Development in coordination with the Field Operations Department. The nets are designed to capture debris, such as plastic water bottles, food wrappers, and other litter, before it enters streams, rivers, or bays. The city will periodically maintain and monitor the nets to track debris volume.

“It’s somewhat experimental in the sense of trying to determine how much trash we’re capturing, and how much leaf and other debris we’re collecting in the nets. We’re probably going to check them every two to three weeks, and we’ll figure out how to adjust their placement as we go, then order more as needed,” Mayor Randy Taylor said.

Officials said the initiative is a low-cost solution compared to other mechanical treatment systems and will help the city comply with stormwater permits and total maximum daily load requirements.