STORM DRAIN AWARENESS
Storm drains are commonly found along streets and in parking lots. They allow stormwater to quickly reach the nearest waterway by carrying the rain water directly from the road/parking lot to a nearby stream, ditch, or other body of water without being treated. Anything on these surfaces can be picked up by the rainwater in the form of runoff and travel via the storm drain to our waterways.
What Can You Do?
Knowing where storm drains are can help you prevent stormwater pollutants from entering them and therefore entering our waterways. Preventing pollutants from entering out waterways via storm drains keeps them clean for not only our use but also to protect our ecosystems.
Be sure to keep debris away from nearby storm drains as it can cause the drain to become clogged. A clogged storm drain lead to ponding and flooding. Common debris includes litter, leaves, and grass clippings.
Contact your local municipality or township when you notice a clogged or flooding storm drain. Calling your community's non-emergency line will get you in contact with a local expert who will be able to either direct you on how to clean the drain or they will send out a maintenance crew to address the problem. Never attempt to clean out a clogged storm drain before calling your community. They will be able to direct you on next steps that can keep you safe and prevent damaging the infrastructure.
Non-Emergency Contacts for Each Community
Below are links to the various communities in our region that you can contact if you have a clogged or flooding storm drain. If your community is not listed below, please select your county from the list below.
Go Above and Beyond for Storm Drains
Go above and beyond for storm drain awareness by volunteering with Partners for Clean Streams. Their Storm Drain Marking program connects municipalities, residents, and active volunteers working to protect our waterways. Between April and October, volunteers mark storm drains with phases such as “Drains are for rain, Flows to Waterway,” or “Lake Erie Starts Here,” with stencils or adhesive medallions. By marking the drains, volunteers help spread awareness for storm drains and why they are important.
Learn more or sign up for the program by visiting their program webpage.