Stormwater Division
Storm Drain Maintenance
Ordinance 2207 - Storm Water Utility
The Municipal Stormwater Challenge
Storm Water runoff is the water that flows off City sidewalks, streets, and other hard surfaces during rainstorms. The runoff is collected in ditches, culverts, catch basins, and storm sewers.
In areas with natural ground cover, only 10% of rainwater becomes runoff. The rest is absorbed or evaporates. In urban areas, up to 55% of rainfall can become storm water runoff.
A storm drain maintenance program is required to ensure that ditches, culverts, catch basins, and storm sewers are kept clean of sand, silt, and other debris that may plug the system.
You Can Help!
Citizens of the community can assist in keeping the storm system running by following a few guidelines:
- Never dump anything down a storm drain inlet.
- Keep your leaves and grass clippings out of the streets so that they do not end up washing into the storm drain inlets.
- Wash your vehicles on your lawn or at a car wash facility instead of in your driveway.
- Lawns need less than an inch of water per week. If it rains an inch, do not water. Water that runs off yards goes to storm drains.
- Don't litter! This means you should never throw any trash on the ground. When it rains the litter washes into the storm drains.
To learn more about stormwater...click on the link below for the Regional Stormwater Management Program.
http://www.co.yakima.wa.us/Stormwater/index.html
