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Don’t leave those leaves: Langford offers tips to keep storm drains clear

Residential, commercial property owners asked to monitor catch basins, gutters this fall and winter
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City of Langford staff are asking residents and property owners to help clear fallen leaves away from storm drains and catch basins.

After a dry summer, the fall rains are welcome. When they’re combined with the fast-building leaf piles around Langford, the potential for flooding is very real.

That’s why city staff are reminding you about the need to gather your fallen leaves up to keep them away from catch basins, as well as keeping your home’s gutters clear.

George Henshall, City of Langford’s deputy director of engineering and public works, notes that the City has 300 kilometres of drains to manage and they flow much better when not clogged with debris.

“When it rains, it can rain hard this time of year,” he says. “This is kind of like the recycling, where if people can put their blue bins out in the morning rather than the night before so it doesn’t blow around, that really helps us.”

Here’s some other ways you can help at this time of year:

  • You can put your fallen leaves in your backyard composter, drop them off at a local recycler or call a contractor to pick them up
  • It’s your responsibility to pick up litter on your property that may find its way into storm drains
  • If you have elderly neighbours, help them clear away leaves from catch basins
  • If branches or trees come down on your property, it’s your responsibility to take care of it

You can also take action if you see a tree on public property that might come down in a gusting wind.

“It’s often through November that we see those kinds of things, and we ask people to please call if they see a suspect tree,” Henshall says. “We have horticultural staff that go around and take care of trees, and it’s usually easy to take it down.”

Think about getting ready for winter

Of course, November’s arrival also means winter is close at hand.

The City of Langford enhances its maintenance of roads and storm drains in winter, with service routes reworked to maximize efficiency and safety on the municipal routes you travel most, and GPS in trucks to track them in real time – a crucial benefit when it snows.

The City asks property owners to clear snow and ice from your property and adjacent footpaths, and Henshall stresses that you should have or install good winter or all-season tires on your vehicle in plenty of time for the change in weather.

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For more information, contact the City engineering department at 250-474-0068 (250-478-7770 after hours) or Victoria Contracting at 250-474-2688.

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Storm drains can get clogged with excess leaves at this time of year. Langford property owners are asked to clear debris away from grates close to their homes or buildings, and help elderly neighbours with the task.