GREECE, N.Y. — As the spring rain picks up, so does the risk of neighborhood flooding. Public works departments say one of the simplest ways to protect your street and your home is to make sure any storm drains near your house are clear of debris. The Town of Greece DPW crew demonstrated firsthand how much buildup these drains can collect.
Rainy days are kind of the norm this time of the year, and with that comes mud, soggy leaves and twigs that find their way into the gutter and on top of catch basin grates blocking the flow of rainwater.
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The town of Greece has 400 miles of storm sewer to maintain
When catch basins are covered with leaves and debris it causes streets, lawns and basements to flood
Residents are enouraged to clear gutters and sewer grates of any debris so water can flow where it needs to go
Town of Greece Public Works Commissioner Cory Gurnett and his team tackle any trouble spots they can.
“We have over 18,000 catch basins in the town of Greece, so if you can imagine, we are very busy. We have over 400 miles of storm sewer, so it really takes a good-sized crew to maintain all that all year round. If people call, we get to it right away,” said Gurnett.
All that muck backs the water up on the road and in front lawns and can even flood basements.
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“All that water coming down the street is not going to drain through that hole fast enough,” said Gurnett. “We encourage residents to call us if the catch basin is not draining properly. We will always send a crew out to take a look, and if needed, we will take off the grate and get all the way down and make sure it is draining.”
A little prevention can help; that’s where residents come in. Think of it like clearing snow away from fire hydrants near your home; you want to check the catch basins, too. If they’re covered, clear them.
“You can see if it needs to be cleaned off and get the right maintenance. You can see everything above ground. If you have a rake, a shovel, or a broom, that will take care of it, and that’s all it is,” said Gurnett.
It’s messy work, but when the drains stay clear, water keeps moving.