Coquitlam residents and businesses are encouraged to adopt a catch basin, helping protect local streams and water habitats, and preventing flooding in their community.
COQUITLAM, B.C., October 16, 2024 – Coquitlam residents and businesses are encouraged to adopt a catch basin, helping protect local streams and water habitats, and preventing flooding in their community .
The City’s Adopt-a-Catch Basin program invites the public to take an active role in clearing catch basins, which direct rainwater into the City’s drainage system and connect directly to local watercourses.
Why Are Catch Basins Important?
Over 16,000 catch basins across Coquitlam help remove excess water from our streets with every rainfall. When these basins become clogged with leaves, debris, litter, or snow, it can lead to flooding on streets and pose risks to public safety. Adopting a catch basin ensures proper drainage and keeps our waterways healthy.
What’s Involved in Adopting a Catch Basin?
Individuals, groups, and businesses can adopt one or more catch basins in their neighbourhood. As a volunteer, you’ll be responsible for:
- Regular Checks: Inspect your adopted catch basin, particularly before and after heavy rainfall, during leaf fall in autumn, and after snowfall.
- Clearing Debris: Use a rake, broom, or shovel to clear away leaves, litter, or debris blocking the grate. Organic waste goes in your green bin, and trash in the garbage.
- Assigning a Name: Have fun naming your catch basin, but please keep it appropriate for all audiences.
- Updating Your Efforts: After clearing your catch basin, visit our website to log your work. This helps the City keep track of maintained basins and recognize your contributions.
How to Get Involved
Volunteers may adopt more than one catch basin and are encouraged to name them creatively. Instruction is provided, and a limited number of small rakes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, sign-up links, and a map of Coquitlam’s catch basins, visit coquitlam.ca/AdoptACatchBasin.
Protect Local Streams with the Storm Drain Marking Program
Another way residents can help Coquitlam’s waterways is through the Storm Drain Marking Program. Yellow fish symbols are marked near storm drains to remind the public that anything entering these drains flows into local creeks, impacting sensitive fish habitat and wildlife.
This program is open to individuals, groups, and businesses. Marking kits are available from the City. For more details, and to see a map of nearby storm drains, visit coquitlam.ca/StormDrain or contact the Environment Division at waterconservation@coquitlam.ca.
Coquitlam’s Environmental Sustainability Plan
Coquitlam finalized an Environmental Sustainability Plan in January 2022 that guides decisions and ensures the long-term environmental resiliency and sustainability of the community. The Environmental Sustainability Plan is organized into five themes: Climate Action, Built Environment, Waste Management, Water Management and Natural Areas, Wildlife and Habitat. Learn more about the Environmental Sustainability Plan at coquitlam.ca/EnviroPlan.
Media contact:
Jenny Tough
Manager Environmental Education & Enforcement
604-927-3500
epw@coquitlam.ca
We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that the name Coquitlam was derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (HUN-kuh-MEE-num) word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (kwee-KWET-lum) meaning “Red Fish Up the River”. The City is honoured to be located on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm traditional and ancestral lands, including those parts that were historically shared with the q̓ic̓əy̓ (kat-zee), and other Coast Salish Peoples.