Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners’

Education and Outreach Program

Christopher J. Brooks

Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners, 600 Wilson Avenue, Newark, NJ,

 (973) 466-2884, (973) 817-5709, cbrooks@pvsc.com, www.pvsc.com

The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners (PVSC) was created in 1902 by an act of New Jersey Legislature to abate pollution to the Passaic River.  In an effort to further its mission, in 1996 PVSC created the Passaic River/Newark Bay Restoration Program.  An important element of the Restoration Program is Education and Outreach.  PVSC has a full time staff dedicated to teaching the local grammar school children about the effects of pollution on the Passaic River.

PVSC employees visit the grammar schools within the 47 municipalities served by the PVSC and provide an hour-long presentation on pollution prevention and floatables control.  PVSC utilizes videos, coloring books, games and models to engage the students in the subject matter.  PVSC’s staff members create all of the education materials.

PVSC’s River Restoration Coordinator takes “Messy Marvin” on a journey through a polluted waterway and teaches Marvin how his own actions impact the river.  This is the premise upon which PVSC’s program educates the local children.  The program provides the children with information on proper disposal of household hazardous wastes, point source and non-point source pollution through posters and through the adventures of the Messy Marvin crew. 

The interactive program has been very successful to date and PVSC receives many requests from the local schools for Messy Marvin and his pals to come and visit.  Since its inception, the program has been presented to over 25,000 students in more than 300 schools.  In addition to the school program the Public Education and Outreach staff exhibit at local festivals and fairs.  More information on Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners’ Education and Outreach Program can be found on its website http://www.pvsc.com.