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Seattle Public Utilities warns of road flooding as rainy systems arrive
Seattle Public Utilities is urging residents to clear leaves from storm drains before a series of soaking rainstorms hits the region this weekend and next week, warning that clogged drains could cause roadway flooding and ponding. The agency also announced a new one-week delay model for garbage collection during severe winter weather.
Seattle Public Utilities is bracing for roadway flooding and ponding as a series of wet weather systems is expected to drench the region this weekend and into next week. The agency is asking residents to rake up fallen leaves now to prevent clogged storm drains and more serious problems later.
âPreventive maintenance always helps,â said Jana Dilly of Seattle Public Utilitiesâ pollution prevention team. âClearing them well before they get in the pipes, or while they're still on street level where they're easy to rake up and dispose of, is going to help prevent a lot of issues. We don't want those leaves to go down into our system. They're gonna cause bigger clogs that are harder and more expensive to clear, and that can lead to greater problems.â
SPU crews work around the clock to clear clogged drains, but the agency said they cannot be everywhere at once. Ernest Chandler, a lead worker with SPU, said call volumes can vary significantly depending on the intensity of the rain. âWe can have anywhere from 10 to 20 calls depending on the rain event,â he said.
The utility said the safest way to clear a clogged drain is from the curb, away from rushing water. Dilly encouraged residents to act before storms hit. âIt's a lot easier to clear that drain and prevent it before the rains come,â she said. âIf you're in the middle of a heavy rainstorm and all that water is flowing, it's kind of miserable to go outside in the pouring rain and have to deal with that clogged drain that's causing that flooding in the street.â
SPU also emphasized that leaves raked from the street and near storm drains are considered contaminated and should be thrown in the trash. Leaves collected from yards can go into compost. During November, the utility will accept up to 10 bags of free compost.
Separately, SPU announced a change to winter weather-related garbage collection delays. The agency is implementing a new winter weather delay collection model this year, moving away from a one-day delayed pickup. âWhat we're doing is actually moving to a one-week delay model,â said Christopher Ruiz of SPUâs solid waste department. âIf you are collected on Monday, you will just set out your solid waste services the following week, and you can set out up to double the amount of garbage at no additional cost, and we will collect you as normal, just on a one-week delay.â
The one-week delays will occur only during impactful weather events like snow or ice, when conditions are not safe for crews.
Residents can report clogged storm drains or road flooding to Seattle Public Utilities through the cityâs drainage issues reporting page.