GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — City officials in Grand Rapids wish to remind the community to keep fallen leaves out of storm drains this fall.
The city is home to 17,000 catch basins, which are designed to filter out debris that ends up in storm water to prevent them from entering rivers. We’re told leaves can potentially clog these filters and cause streets to flood.
As a result, crews clear out an average of 4,000 drains every year, the city says.
Residents are asked to be mindful of where leaves end up when raking or blowing to prevent unnecessary flooding.
Visit the city’s website for leaf-removal services available in Grand Rapids.
Find out how you can adopt a drain with the Lower Grand Rapids Organization of Watersheds (LGROW).
