Santa Cruz debuting green street scrubber

SANTA CRUZ, CA -- The city of Santa Cruz on Thursday will debut a street sweeper that some in the environmentally conscious community are celebrating.

The $75,000 "sustainable" street sweeper uses less water than traditional street cleaners and has a vacuum that keeps dirty water from entering storm drains, city officials said.

The equipment was paid for with redevelopment, parking and refuse funds, and the city's parking, refuse and general funds will cover the sweeper's operating costs during the initial six-month pilot program.

Pacific Avenue as well as side streets, alleys and portions of Front and Cedar streets will be cleaned by the new sweeper, city officials said. The Municipal Wharf and downtown parking garages will also be cleaned.

The six-month trial will allow city officials to evaluate the sweeper's effectiveness.

"I hear almost weekly about the dirty sidewalks downtown," Mayor Ryan Coonerty said in a prepared statement. "This is about making sure that our public spaces downtown are clean and vibrant for our community and visitors."

In celebration of the new street cleaner, city officials will join local businesses and community members on the corner of Pacific Avenue and Church Street at 3 p.m. Thursday to witness the sweeper's maiden voyage.

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