Rake a Drain
It's that time of year when the rain comes and leaves start to fall. With falling leaves come blocked storm drains. City Crews work to keep storm drains clear, but with so many storm drains in our system, we could use your help!
Rake a drain to help prevent flooding: snow, leaves, and debris can clog storm drains and cause local flooding. Use a garden rake or shovel and remove the leaves from the storm drain. Be sure you remove the debris off of the street, otherwise, it will just return during the next storm. Also, please remember if you are pulling weeds or edging your lawns, do not simply throw this material out into the street as it will plug and clog our storm drains.
Please don't create flooding - know your options: Raking your leaves into the street adds to localized flooding. Instead, compost your leaves or use them as mulch in your garden. If you're not a gardener, please find a neighbor who is so they can use your leaves as mulch.
Property owners should not blow or rake leaves into the street for City crews to clean up. Our street sweeper cannot pick up big piles of leaves; therefore, when property owners rakes their pile into the street, we have to send out a special crew to clean them up. This is a big expense for the City and cuts into other vital services.
Remember, keeping the streets clear of leaves is a partnership effort. City Crews are responsible for cleaning leaves that fall onto the streets, and adjacent property owners are responsible for cleaning up leaves from their own property, including sidewalks and roadside planting strips.
If you observe stormwater runoff pollution occurring, such as dirty water leaving a construction site, someone dumping trash or chemicals into our drainage system, raw sewage discharges or other environmental concerns, please call the City of Centralia Public Works at phone: 360-330-7512.
For more information, please contact Kim Ashmore in our Stormwater Utility.
