This quarter we're spotlighting Keep Smithville Beautiful, a local nonprofit tackling air and water quality head-on—from a new PM2.5 sensor to a fall event centered on keeping the Colorado River clean.

Keep Smithville Beautiful is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the beautification and environmental sustainability of Smithville, located in southeastern Bastrop County. KSB holds seasonal litter cleanups along local streets and the Colorado River, hosts household hazardous waste drop-off events, and leads environmental and sustainability outreach and education.

KSB is currently planning a Sustainable Home & Garden Show for October 17, 2026 at Railroad Park, themed "Partnering to Keep the Colorado River Clean." The event features:

Plastic Collection Challenge — a student competition to collect and divert plastic waste

Waste to Wonder Recyclable Art Contest — student-created art made entirely from recycled materials

Sustainable Living Education Forum — a community forum for residents and youth on sustainable living practices

KSB is coordinating with CAPCOG on the final stages of installing a PurpleAir sensor at the Smithville Chamber of Commerce to monitor PM2.5 (fine particulate matter). KSB is also assisting a research team from the University of Texas at Austin's Institute for Geophysics who are sampling and testing groundwater wells in Smithville for PFAS and microplastics—part of a broader project protecting water quality in the lower Colorado River.

Why This Matters for Smithville

Air quality monitoring at the local level gives residents and youth something regional data can't: a real-time picture of what's happening in their own community. Smithville sits along an active rail corridor, and once installed, the sensor will help capture PM2.5 patterns tied to railroad operations alongside other local sources like vehicle traffic, wildfire smoke drift, and seasonal burning. That data can inform everything from daily outdoor activity decisions to longer-term local planning. KSB sees this as a natural extension of its water quality work with UT Austin: both projects aim to give Smithville residents and youth accurate, local data to make informed decisions about their environment.

Get Involved

Sponsor • Vendor • Exhibitor • Volunteer

Registration and details: https://app.seemylegacy.com/community/1263/initiatives