Warren water pollution control chief: Blow grass, leaves into yard, not storm sewers

WARREN — Ed Haller, director of the Warren Water Pollution and Control Department, said streets flooded in many areas of the city Thursday and Friday because of heavy rains, but residents can reduce the severity of the problem by helping to keep storm drains clean.

Haller said Warren has 5,500 catch basins, also known as storm drains, and crews from his department worked late Thursday and Friday cleaning out many of them.

Haller said people experiencing flooding in the street or on their property can sometimes reduce the severity by cleaning out the leaves, grass or other debris from the storm drain themselves.

“Though it’s the city’s responsibility, a resident can do themselves a great service by doing it themselves,” Haller said.

He added that cleaning out the debris from a drain can reduce the amount of damage flooding can cause at a person’s home, especially if the drain is in the yard.

He also recommends that people consider the potential that their leaves and grass cuttings will clog drains if they allow such debris to go into the street.

He recommends that people cutting grass point the mower away from the road the first few passes to avoid the grass going into the street.