Only rain down storm drains

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Autumn brings yardwork and other outdoor activities.

But please remember as you rake fallen leaves, tend your garden or work on your car: We need your help to ensure only rain goes down stormwater drains.

City streets and storm drains are designed to enable rain to drain directly to nearby creeks and rivers instead of flooding streets. But the storm drain system won’t work as intended if storm drains on your street are blocked with debris. In addition, we want to keep yard waste, chemicals and other matter from entering our storm drain system and flowing into creeks or rivers because that would pollute our waterways.

“It is important to protect the Umpqua Basin watershed from contaminants as many local communities rely on the Umpqua River system for their drinking water,” said Roseburg Design/Construction Manager Ryan Herinckx.

Roseburg Public Works street crews sweep streets year-round and collect homeowners’ leaves in the fall and winter to help keep debris from clogging storm drains and to keep that excess organic matter out of rivers and creeks. The City’s free fall leaf collection service will start Monday, Oct. 31.

By working together, we can help keep our creeks and rivers healthy. Here’s how you can help:

- Properly dispose of leaves, yard debris and pet waste. Yard debris can be burned in October with a Roseburg burn permit. Branches and yard waste including grass, cuttings, leaves, weeds and shrubs can go to the Roseburg Transfer Site, 165 McLain W Ave. or Roseburg Landfill, 384 McLain W Ave.

- Clear debris from storm drains;

- Don’t over-fertilize or over-irrigate;

- Never put paint, chemicals, motor oil, other household hazardous waste, concrete wash or other solid waste into drains. Paint is recyclable at Colorcraft Paint, Heartwood Resources or Sherwin Williams in Roseburg. Douglas County is working with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to schedule a local household hazardous waste collection event. Consider giving leftover products to family, friends, neighbors or nonprofits who can use them.

Learn where to recycle or dispose of paints, hazardous materials and yard waste on the Douglas County Solid Waste Department webpage. Remember: “Only rain down storm drains.”

For more information, check out the Roseburg Storm Drainage Master Plan on the City website, read about the City’s free leaf-collection program or contact Roseburg Public Works at 541-492-6730 or pwd@cityofroseburg.org.