Crews clean 30K street catch basins in Detroit since 2017

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department has cleaned 30,000 street catch basins as part of a program to reduce flooding in city neighborhoods.

The 30,000th catch basin was cleaned Tuesday on Detroit’s westside, the city said.

The catch basin cleaning program was started 2017. It uses a mapping system and tablets to track catch basin maintenance. That also helps determine when and where repairs will be needed.

Complaints of street flooding have been cut by 70%, the city said Tuesday.

Road debris and composted yard waste are among the materials that clog the basins which carry storm water into the city’s combined sewer system. Detroit has an estimated 95,000 catch basins. About 10,000 catch basins are expected to be inspected and cleaned each year.