Atascadero City Council offers stormwater reminders
—The Atascadero city manager gave citizens several reminders about stormwater preparedness at the city council meeting held Jan. 9. As the city can only go onto property to clear away debris for better water flow in an emergency, it is the property owner’s responsibility to clear the debris. Essential areas to check for debris include storm drains, street pipes, ditches, roof gutters, downspouts, and gutter guards.
The city manager also advised citizens to trim their trees and branches that are in contact with roofs, as fallen branches and trees can block water drainage routes and land on power lines. In addition, leaves and grass can become stuck in pipes and inlets, which will delay stormwater clearage.
There is a possibility of streets becoming flooded due to heavy rainfall in a short time period, so clearing gutters and storm pipes will allow for streets to empty quicker. If there are power outages, the city manager recommends citizens check their flashlight batteries, have plenty of non-perishable food and access to water, and can even purchase sandbags from local stores. Sand is available at the Atascadero Fire Department, located at 6005 Lewis Ave., but citizens must bring their own shovel. Dispatch is available 24 hours a day at (805) 461-5050 if there are problems with flooding or debris that need to be immediately addressed.
