Streets & Storm Drains

How to Prepare Before a Storm

On September 1, 2017, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Raleigh took rainfall reports of more than 4 inches of rain drenching Clayton in less than an hour and a half! That left many parts of town flooded and drainage systems overwhelmed. Just look at the blockage caused at one downtown home where pine straw, leaves and fill dirt completely blocked and covered a storm drain! Clogged grates are often the number 1 reason streets flood during a storm and it can happen quickly! The Town of Clayton prepares in advance of storms with public works employees checking storm drains and catch basins, especially those in flood-prone areas, to make sure they aren't blocked by existing debris. It's hard to get to all 5,000 plus public drains throughout Town and we don't maintain private drains on your property, so need your help to prepare our community!

Blockages can damage and flood not only your property, but your neighbor's property and public roadways. Let's all do our part! Read more about how you can avoid getting flooded and what you can do during a storm by visiting our Clear Drains page or Report a Concern About a Clogged or Damaged Storm Drain online.

Snow Removal

We are also prepared for snow events and work hard to keep Town maintained streets as safe as possible. Remember, some areas are maintained by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and sometimes individual neighborhoods. When snow is forecasted, please do not park your car on the street. Doing so creates a safety hazard for our drivers who maneuver large plow trucks through dangerous conditions and it also creates blind spots for children and pets. Safety is our number 1 concern and we appreciate your help! Keep your vehicle in the driveway so we can clear a path, usually 2 lanes wide, down your road.

Some areas such as Walden Woods have very narrow roads that require the use of special equipment such as backhoes and skid steers to clear so be sure to keep your vehicles far back in your driveway to give our crews plenty of room.

Loose Leaf Pickup

Between October 1st and January 31st, the Town performs curbside vacuum collection of loose leaves. Learn more about the specifics of this service and disposal of leaves and limbs on our Leaves and Limbs page.

Storm Drains

Storm drains are an important part of the Town's infrastructure and allow rainwater to run off quickly. However, when those drains are blocked or people intentionally pour things like grease and oil into them, then the system can become clogged, and flooding occurs.

It is important to keep storm drains clear of yard debris like grass clippings and leaves. When placing these items at the curb for waste removal, be sure to place them in your yard at the edge of the curb and not in the curb. Even if a storm drain is not in front of your yard, garbage and yard waste will get washed down to the nearest storm drain and cause problems for your entire street. Remember, anything that goes into storm drains in not treated or cleaned but runs straight into local streams and rivers.

 Additional Resources

• Fats, Oils and Grease: Why it’s a Problem (PDF)
• Grasas, Aceites, y Grasa: Porqué es un Problema (PDF)