Maintain-a-Drain
January 19, 2010
Today I spotted Mary Dalsin and her two boys preparing to clean out a storm drain near their house. It was their service project for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Of course I pitched right in and discovered that Mary is often found in the gutter, literally.
Mary is part of a volunteer program with Oakland Public Works, called “Maintain-a-Drain.”
Anything that goes down the storm drain goes directly to the nearest creek or Lake Merritt and then out to the bay. All the garbage, like plastic bags, goes right along with it. Sometime the garbage and dirt clog the drain. During the rainy months, the storm drains can flood.
Volunteers like Mary help to keep the storm drains clean and the water flowing.
We pulled a lot of yucky stuff out of the drain, along with a long-lost whiffle ball. Clearly, the drains need regular cleaning.
If you are interested in volunteering, check out Oakland Public Works website by clicking here.
