GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — With the autumn leaves beginning to fall, the City of Grand Rapids is asking residents to help keep storm drains clear to avoid unnecessary flooding.
City officials say that while storm drains are created to keep debris from getting into the drain system, a large influx of fallen leaves can cause street flooding. Each year, city crews clean 4,000 of the city's 17,000 storm drains, and residents are being asked to be mindful of leaves blocking the drains when clearing leaves from their yards.
Instead of leaf blowing or raking, which the city says can lead to clogged storm drains, people are encouraged to try composting, dropping off their yard waste or participating in the Grand Rapids Yard Waste Program. For more information on these options, click here.
To help spread awareness of this issue, the city's Department of Environmental Services is launching a campaign that includes billboards, door hangers and social media reminders educating residents.
The campaign is in partnership with the Lower Grand Rapids Organization of Watersheds (LGROW), which hosts an Adopt-a-Drain program year-round that encourages participants to help clear drains in their neighborhood.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
