Ramsey residents asked to continue Eagle Scout's project to prevent flooding

RAMSEY — Got a clogged storm drain near your home? How about adopting it?

The Adopt A Drain program was started last year by student Liam Curran as his Eagle Scout project. As leaf season approaches, the borough's Department of Public Works is encouraging residents to keep the program going.

"There are approximately 1,100 storm drains in Ramsey, and we don't have the staff or the resources to constantly keep them all clean," said Jack D'Agostaro, the department's superintendent. "We don't have a map or an accurate inventory of their locations. This makes any sort of organized maintenance program extremely difficult."

Adopting a drain doesn't mean you have to feed it or send it to college. Just check the drain periodically and remove any leaves, grass or trash blockage that has formed over the grate.

"The DPW can respond to complaints of clogged storm drains, but by that time the flooding may already be happening," D'Agostaro said. "If those same citizens could be enlisted to keep those drains clear in the first place, there would be less flooding."

Environmental Commission Chairman Patrick Nerney said keeping the drains unclogged is a top priority in minimizing the water contaminants.

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"As much as 60% of water pollution can be traced to stormwater," Nerney said. "Ramsey's stormwater flows untreated into the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook, Masonicus Brook, the Ramapo River and the Saddle River. We're not asking anyone to do anything dangerous, like cleaning the drain during a storm. The best way is to check the drain and clean it on a periodic basis."

Curran, a freshman at The College of New Jersey, said the program was modeled on those of several other municipalities. Fellow Scouts, family and Ramsey High School classmates helped set up a website to register volunteers, and helped him promote the project at the Ramsey Farmers' Market.

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"I had a real sense of pride, we got about 90 drains adopted," Curran said. "If we all pitch in, it will help prevent larger problems from developing."

For more information, visit ramseyadoptadrain.org.