Help Your Storm Drain to Clear the Runoffs During Spring

During the wintertime, many of the stormwater is contain in the form of snow and ice. In the spring when the temperature warms up, they become stormwater runoff and when combined with rain they can overwhelm the drainage system, especially if the soil hasn’t totally thawed, preventing the water from infiltrating down into the soil.

Accompanying the melting snow and ice are the months of debris and garbage that were trapped inside them, which can block the storm drain and further exasperating their abilities to take water out.

What can we do to help our storm drain?

• Remove any large debris and garbage on the snow and ice
• Make sure the storm drains are clear
• Shovel the snow off your driveway and sidewalk
• Use road salts and de-icers sparingly, although they do help to remove ice and snow, they can damage and corrode the drainage system and cause a severe environmental impact on the soil and vegetation

These simple steps will help to ensure the effectiveness of the storm drains in clearing the runoffs during the spring melts.