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It is always a
good time for a little home preventative maintenance with our
storm drains to reduce the chances of flooding in our
neighborhoods, and keep pollutants from our waterways.
The storm
drain system along the gutters in your neighborhood
has been around for more than 100 years in some parts of Stockton and was designed to
keep excess rainwater off our streets to reduce flooding.
Storm drains divert water from a storm away from road surfaces, public access areas, or low basins where water collection could be unhealthy and dangerous. But what you may not realize is that the water that flows into
those storm drains, doesn't go to the sewer plant to be treated
but goes directly to our local rivers, creeks, streams, sloughs,
and the Delta.
That runoff
carries with it such pollutants as soapy water from washing our
cars in the driveway and parking lots, pet waste, trash,
dirt, fertilizers and pesticides, and grass and leaves that will eventually
decay, sucking the oxygen out of the water. Without adequate
oxygen, our water quality is degraded and harmful to our aquatic life.
Here's what you
can do to help! Never dispose of leaves, grass clippings, trash, oil, paint, chlorinated (swimming pool) water, or any other type of pollutant into gutters or a storm drain catch basin. Sweep the gutter in front of your house to keep it
clean of leaves, trash, and dirt and place it in the proper receptacle. If there's a catch basin or
storm drain near your home, make sure it's clean. When it rains,
use a rake or shovel to remove dirt and any leaves or other green waste
from the gutters. That will help to keep rain water flowing
smoothly and reduce flooding. Residents should not place filtering devices in front of storm drains. During a rainstorm, debris (such as. leaves, sticks, trash) is quickly swept to the catch basin. Screens or filtration devices placed over the catch basin can clog the grate resulting in additional flooding.
But if the
drains do get clogged during a storm, and flooding does occur in
your neighborhood, call the City's Service Center at 937-8341.
If we all put
in a little effort, maybe we can keep our storm drains clear, our neighborhood streets free from flooding, and reduce the pollution in our rivers and streams.
REMEMBER
Only Rain Down the Drain!
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Stockton,
CA 
