Keeping Litter Out of Storm Drains

[JakeL]

A couple of storm drains on the street near me are littered with trash and thus end up being clogged, leaving stagnant smelly water. Has anyone put some sort of mesh cover over their storm trains to keep trash out? Is the PWD providing any assistance or initiatives for something like this?

[luchobucho]

You can put an inlet filter on the inside of the inlet. But that just keeps the litter out of the catch basin and out of the trap and pipe to the sewer.

The cheapest solution is to go pick up the trash and throw it away, or ya know don't throw garbage in the street.

[DCnPhilly]

A couple of storm drains on the street near me are littered with trash and thus end up being clogged, leaving stagnant smelly water. Has anyone put some sort of mesh cover over their storm trains to keep trash out? Is the PWD providing any assistance or initiatives for something like this?

My roommate once saw a uniformed police officer putting a bag of cans in a storm drain at 12th and Sanson. I can't begin to imagine what he was doing. When asked he told my roommate to mind his own business. That's the kind of "lead by example" Philadelphia employs. Stay classy.

[concourse]

I've seen a number of South Philly shops and restaurants just sweep their sidewalks into the drains. It's also a popular place to pour cans of oil--presumably kitchen grease they're saving to avoid clogging their own plumbing. I'd imagine that smells pretty bad.

I have no idea how to solve the problem, though.

[DCnPhilly]

I've seen a number of South Philly shops and restaurants just sweep their sidewalks into the drains. It's also a popular place to pour cans of oil--presumably kitchen grease they're saving to avoid clogging their own plumbing. I'd imagine that smells pretty bad.

I have no idea how to solve the problem, though.

I think litter and public dumping fall under the same umbrella. It's a matter of policing the situation. Start citing a few people for littering and dumping and develop a reputation for fining litter bugs. I'm sure most people think twice before illegally parking because of the PPA's reputation. Hell, Philadelphia's dirty enough to turn it into a reality show.