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Drainage & Sewer
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Keep Water Safe & Clean
Adopt A Drain
Introduction
Some people call them sewers; others may call them gutters or catch basins. Here at SPU, the official name is "Storm Drains" and these are the street drains that keep most of our neighborhoods from flooding. They are a critical part of our utility infrastructure and the consequences can be severe if they are not working properly. We are now approaching that time of year when the weather and the falling leaves of autumn combine to create a perfect opportunity for flooding. Unfortunately, our full time drainage crews cannot keep up with all of the thousands of storm drains that need extra maintenance this time of year. That’s where you come in!
We are asking for volunteers to "Adopt a Drain" and become active stewards of their neighborhood's environment. This program is being run as a complimentary part of our long standing and highly successful Adopt A Street program.
How to Sign Up
Signing up is easy. Read our Statement of Commitment (doc), fill it out and email to adoptastreet@seattle.gov. OR request sign-up information by calling the Adopt A Street hotline at (206) 684-7647. Leave your name, phone number, and address and we will send you everything you need to get started.
The “Statement of Commitment” does not legally obligate you to do anything. We use it so that we know who qualifies for support such as equipment, volunteer liability insurance, and disposal assistance.
By signing the “Statement of Commitment” you agree to keep your drain or drains free of matting. SPU, in return, agrees to supply you with basic equipment to help. This equipment can include gloves, bags, rakes, brooms, safety vests, and shovels
Safety
Here at SPU safety is always Job #1! That is especially true for our volunteers. We will supply all volunteers with safety vests. We strongly advocate that you use the “buddy system” and clean drains with a friend or helper. This person can help watch out for traffic. Even our professional City of Seattle crews use the buddy system. Make sure that you are highly visible at all times. No drain, clogged or not, is worth getting hurt over.
Volunteers are only asked to remove the matted leaves from the tops of the drains. If the drain is still clogged even after you’ve removed the matting, then call our drainage problem hotline at (206) 386-1800 to report it. Do not try to unclog the drain. Removing matting is safe, but clearing out a deep clog requires special expertise.
Disposal of Leaves
We are encouraging our volunteers to dispose of the leaves in their home compost piles or yard waste. We asked some of our composting experts and they said that composting these leaves is OK and under most circumstances you will not have to worry about any contaminants such as gas or oil. Your yard waste container is another great option. Or call the Adopt A Street/Drain hotline at 206-684-7647 to request that the bagged leaves be picked up or request a one-time free coupon to one of our transfer stations for free disposal. Under no conditions can SPU allow any leaves or other debris from private property to be disposed of through this program.
For More Information
Our Adopt A Street/Drain team is ready to help you with your questions, please call our 24-hour hotline at (206) 684-7647 and leave a message or e-mail adoptastreet@seattle.gov .
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