Help Prevent Storm Drain Flooding in Your Neighborhood with These Quick Tips

BAY AREA, CA -- Street drains are critical to keeping neighborhoods from flooding when it rains; when leaves collect in gutters and block drains, water can back up and cause ponding that can flood yards and homes.

You can help prevent flooding in your neighborhood with a few small maintenance actions on your property:

Keep leaves and debris out of drains:

• Avoid piling yard waste such as fallen leaves on your property where it could wash into city drains. Keep yard waste in a waste bin or other container.
• Use a rake or broom to remove leaves and debris that may collect on the tops of storm drains, and then place the material in your yard waste container.
• If the drain is still clogged after you’ve removed the debris, call your local or regional maintenance department.

Maintain gutters and downspouts:

• Be sure to clean the gutters and drainage downspouts attached to your roof twice a year to ensure a well-flowing drainage system.
• Inspect for leaks or damage to rain gutters that could cause a flat roof to flood.
• Direct flows from downspouts away from your foundation, without discharging flows to adjacent properties.

Some Bay Area cities offer free sandbag stations to help residents protect property from flooding during the rainy season. Many locations provide bags, sand and shovels, but some only provide sand. Check your city or county's official website for more information.

Also, remember: it's illegal to dump or to allow any material to enter the drainage system, as it leads to blockages. Illegal dumping should be reported to your local police department through its non-emergency line.

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