Storm drains help in the removal of excess rainwater as well as groundwater from walking paths, paved streets, sidewalks, and parking lots. Storm drains can often get clogged by pollutants like:
- Animal waste
- Fertilizers and pesticides
- Antifreeze and sediments
- Detergents, cleaners, and solvents
- Oil & grease
- Paints & mineral deposits
- Trash, tree roots, and debris
Storm drain cleaning is essential to maintain the health of storm drains and ensure their effective functioning. It offers several benefits like:
Prevention of damage to property If storm drains are clogged, the accumulated water can result in basement flooding or foundation leak in the house. Basement wall water seepage is damaging and causes mold to grow on the lower portion of foundations, which makes accessibility and cleaning problematic. This requires plumbing and concrete foundation crack repair because of property damage.
Spared from paying penalties Flooding resulting from clogged storm drains causes structural as well as environmental damage. This includes garden soil erosion and mixing of drain water with regular water. Such effects can lead to greater penalties being levied on homeowners.
Helps to maintain water quality and lowers the cost of repair Storm drains, in many cases, are connected to lakes and streams nearby, which supply water to the neighborhood. Storm drain cleaning helps to maintain the quality of the water and prevents structural and environmental damage to surrounding regions. Because clean water doesn't have the chemical concentration of contaminated water, household pipes are also safe. This translates into lower repair costs in the long run.
Stops harmful gas build-up Organic waste often accumulates in stormwater, and fertilizers directly enter such drainage systems. The process of decomposition releases toxic gases and odors into the atmosphere. These can condense to pollute the soil bed and require additional treatment.