Stormwater Flooding

You can help protect your neighborhood from stormwater flooding...

Catch basins and street gutter drains carry stormwater away from our homes and streets when it rains.  When their grates become clogged with leaves, twigs, grass clippings, leaves and other debris, they cannot function properly.  Covered or clogged drains contribute to street and yard flooding.

You can help protect your neighborhood from flooding during storms by keeping debris away from the grates.  Just rake or sweep the debris away and put it in the trash...but do this only when the weather is dry!

If the grates are clean and the drain still doesn't carry the water away, the basin may be stopped up. Call MSD's Customer Service Department at 587-0603 for assistance.

Things to Remember:

• Whatever you do, don't remove the grate from a catch basin or drain.
  The area beneath them can be deep and dangerous!

• If there is a catch basin grate or manhole cover missing contact MSD customer service department immediately at 587-0603.
  This is very dangerous and MSD will respond to these types of situations 24 hours a day so don't hesitate. Please stay away and keep others away until MSD can arrive to secure the area. With your help MSD can prevent someone from possibly getting injured from this potentially hazardous situation.

• Don't dump oil, paint thinner, gasoline or other petroleum-based products or chemicals down the drains.
  They can contaminate our streams and even create a very dangerous situation.   It's also a violation of the Louisville and Jefferson County Hazardous Materials Ordinances.

There are more than 45,000 catch basins and street gutter drains in Louisville and Jefferson County.  By keeping the grates clean, you can help protect your neighborhood from stormwater flooding.

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