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Residents urged to clear storm drains before Puget Sound rain

Clearing storm drains prevents flooding and keeps pollution out of the water, which helps salmon.

KIRKLAND, Wash. — Kirkland public works crews are trying to get ahead of a seasonal issue, urging residents to keep storm drains clear from fall leaves and debris.

Crews are now using three new vacuum trucks in Kirkland to unclog drains across the city.

Credit: KING

The new trucks are more efficient and user friendly than the old ones, but a city of Kirkland spokesperson said they still need help from residents.

"If you have your leaf blower and you blow your leaves into the street, that's going to clog your storm drain. That's going to result in flooding in your neighborhood," said Kellie Stickney with the city of Kirkland.

"All the cities in this region are really committed to making sure that we have healthy waterways, because in addition to [it] being fall and leaf season, it's also salmon season. So we want to keep that pollution out of the water," she said.

RELATED: Seattle surpasses average September rainfall

The city of Kirkland has over 12,000 storms drains, and even though crews work hard to keep them all clear, they still need help.

Many cities in western Washington, including Kirkland, have an "Adopt a Storm Drain" program where you can keep an eye on storm drains in your area to make sure they are clear.

The important thing to remember is to gather any fall leaves in a yard waste container or compost bin so they don't blow into the street.

RELATED: Western Washington forecast

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