October 15, 2022 3:20 a.m.

City of Roseburg staff are reminding residents that only rain should be going down storm drains.

A release said city streets and storm drains are designed to enable rain to drain directly to nearby creeks and rivers instead of flooding streets. Information from Public Works staff says storm drains won’t work as intended if storm drains are blocked with debris. In addition, staff wants to keep yard waste, chemicals and other matter from entering the storm drain system and flowing into creeks or rivers because that would pollute the waterways.

Roseburg Design/Construction Manager Ryan Herinckx said, “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”.

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 free fall leaf collection service begins October 31st.

The release said 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 or the Roseburg Landfill.

Learn where to recycle or dispose of paints, hazardous materials and yard waste on the Douglas County Solid Waste Department webpage https://douglascounty-oregon.us/396/Solid-Waste

Call Roseburg Public Works at 492-6730 for more information.