To maintain your catch basins, do the following:
Remove leaves and trash. This will reduce the risk of clogging the grill.
Mark a message. If you live in an area that may be at environmental risk, consider putting up a sign that says «No littering, drains into stream» or something similar.
As for maintaining the catch basin itself, keep in mind that the more frequently you clean it, the more pollutants you will remove. You must clean the basin if the solid is at least one-third the depth from the bottom of the basin to the bottom of the lowest pipe entering or leaving the basin. You can do it yourself by lifting the grate and removing the water with a bucket and the sediment with a shovel.
You should pour the water into a sanitary sewer through a sink or store drain. You can also flush it down a toilet or any other suitable drain. As for the solids, let them dry and then dispose of them properly. To decide which disposal method is best, consider the types of contaminants they contain and the activities that produced them.
Keep this detail in mind for maintenance on your Catch Basins
Catch Basins used near chemical or hazardous waste storage, equipment maintenance sites, or material handling can trap chemicals used in these types of activities. Solids removed from sumps at industrial or commercial sites are generally not considered hazardous waste and therefore can be disposed of as solid waste. However, since you are the generator of this waste, be sure to find out if there are any regulations in your area that stipulate how you should dispose of your waste. Do not dispose of your waste on your land or someone else’s land.
When performing maintenance on your catch basins, make an effort to follow these safety precautions:
Remove the grate with caution. It may be heavy and injure your back or, if you drop it, your feet.
Don’t leave an open grate unattended. While the grate is off, stay by it and make sure others don’t walk near it.
Do not enter the basin. Unless you have the proper training, never enter the basin.
Do not expose your waste or chemical storage practices to rain or stormwater runoff.
We also have some general tips to help you with your maintenance:
Regularly sweep your lot. By regularly cleaning the surrounding area, you will reduce the need to clean your catch basins.
Consider adding catch basin inserts. This will enhance the filtering ability of your catch basin.
Make sure your outlet traps are in good condition. This means that you should replace or repair them if they’re broken. If your catch basin doesn’t have an outlet trap, install one — these components are an easy, cheaper way to remove any floatable pollutants that make it into the catch basin.
