The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
You’ve heard of the Adopt-a-Road program, now meet the Adopt-a-Drain program.
The ambitious program seeks to use volunteers to keep clean the 7,473 storm drain grates located throughout the Eight Villages.
Originating in the township’s Environmental Advisory Commission, the project was brought to the Township Council by Councilman Ted Chase (D-Ward 1), the Council liaison to the Commission.
Chase said that he told the Council’s Public Works Committee about the idea, and it was well-received.
Under the program, residents would volunteer to clean storm grates of leaves, trash and other debris once or twice a month, Chase said.
“If they’re not cleaned off, they get too clogged, we get flooding,” Chase said. “Also, pollutants can go into the storm drain and eventually into the Raritan River.”
Chase said to have the township’s Department of Public Works do the work would be very costly.
“We’d have to hire a number of more people at a salary of $80,000 a year, plus the medical coverage,” he said.
“If people can devote half an hour a month to doing this, it keeps the storm drains clear, it prevents flooding, and it helps us report to the state about stormwater runoff,” he said.
The issue of stormwater runoff has been discussed by several township committees, whose members are looking for ways to mitigate the increased runoff over the years caused by development.
Chase said there is an $8,000 initial charge to join the national program, but, he said, that could be paid from the township’s Clean Communities grant money, “so it won’t cost the taxpayer to do this.”
“The Public Works committee was enthusiastic about this,” Chase said. “In general, we endorse this. We’re going to get a little more data by the next public works committee meeting, but we’re pretty much committed to go ahead with it.”
