Julie Smith in the city’s Public Communications Office issued the following press release today:
Summer is here and that means yard maintenance season is in full swing. The City of Colorado Springs Stormwater Engineering Division is reminding residents to keep storm drains clean and clear of yard debris.
Grass clippings and leaves blown into the street during yard maintenance end up in the nearest waterway. Stormwater runoff washes clippings and other yard waste from our streets, sidewalks and driveways into the city’s storm drains, which lead directly to creeks and rivers in the area. This causes problems in the city’s stormwater drainage system and can lead to flooding.
Tips for lawn maintenance:
Do not leave or sweep grass clippings or other yard waste into streets, sidewalks, driveways or parking lots, especially around storm drains.
Compost or mulch yard waste. Grass clippings naturally fertilize lawns and do not cause thatch in Colorado.
Use pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers sparingly and follow manufacturer’s directions. Excess chemicals are washed into streams and pollute the water.
Do not over-water lawns.
For more information, visit springsgov.com/stormwater or 385-5980
I’ll make a deal with ya, CS. Stop plowing my driveway shut after I’ve spent hours shoveling it, and I might conceder keeping YOUR drains clean!
Ms. Smith’s request on the part of the public vis-a-vis refuse, leaves and other potentially clogging or impeding debris within the drainage system makes absolute sense. Thank you Julie. But there is a lingering question that I’ve asked myself for several years since I first witnessed this so-called “World Class City”………….
I critically question the need, in truth, outright waste both in expense and precipitating pollution on the part of the city to lay down this supposed “traction” grit come “winter”, when it “snows” in Colorado Springs. The aggregate really does not appropriate any considerable traction – in the real sense – and besides, silly me and a handful of similar contrarians to that of the ubiquitous status quo in this “World Class City” as we would never think of not having four dedicated snow tires on our cars come “winter” as we know the aforementioned “traction” grit to be useless outright. As anyone knows, within an hour, two or more of the snowfall and minute amounts of ice the radiation level from the sun burns off the snow and what little ice there is and the streets are left with, in truth littered with this remaining aggregate which serves as nothing more than a filthy precipitate, fouling up the streets, the air and has a tenacious habit of remaining on the roads, not to mention sidewalks (what few exist within this “World Class City”).
The upshot as it were is that this foul aggregate which dirties this “World Class City” for weeks, months and is supposedly collected by the city via the street sweepers has another nasty habit, in addition to abrading road surface, tires, pitting windshields, motor vehicle lights, hoods, etc….., it also likes to, wouldn’t you know, migrate into, that’s right, drainage systems. Hello Ms. Smith……., calling Ms. Smith……….
In addition to many things that, forgive me, dare I say and I do need improvement in this Xanadu of a “World Class City”, the City of Colorado Springs could save millions of taxpayer dollars per annum by honestly doing away with this worthless, filthy and costly to the taxpayer aggregate it chooses to muck up the streets and environment with come each “winter”.
Aforementioned contrarians like myself who can be “bothered” to make certain our vehicles are dutifully equipped with dedicated snow tires when “winter” makes visit upon Colorado (aren’t you glad we’re driving upon same, least of which not being behind you and your loved ones………..) know it’s a waste and a costly and polluting one at that. Now, if only Ms. Smith et al. down at City Hall would awaken to that fact. As to leaves and other debris, I and other decent citizens will do our part here. Would it be too much to ask the powers that be down at City Hall to demonstrate at least a modicum of intelligence regarding this wasteful aggregate? Now, as to the ubiquitous red lights the highly paid “traffic engineers” set within this “World Class City”, assuring motorists an endless cavalcade of one red light after the next, thus in turn manifesting little if any miles per gallon, excessive wear and tear on powertrain, transmission, brakes, tires (great for sales tax however……………), increased pollution, frustration and eventual speeding and aggressive driving…………………………..
@John, without wasting as many words, I remind you the EPA requires CS to mitigate organic pollution, not inert gravel.
Sounds like you have many more personal issues than ordinary citizens do.
Blocked drains North London…
[...]City urges residents to keep storm drains clear of debris – City Desk : Colorado Springs Gazette, CO[...]…