Beaufort asks residents to keep yard debris off roads

The city of Beaufort issued a news release Wednesday asking residents to help keep storm drains clear by keeping leaves and yard debris out of the roads.
Leaves and yard debris must be bagged and placed at roadside for city collection.
The debris complicates efforts to maintain the drainage and stormwater systems that have been upgraded in recent years, public works director Isiah Smalls said.
The improved systems helped the city earn a better flood insurance rating that could lead to up to 20 percent in savings on flood insurance premiums. The rating improvement — from 8 to 7 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being best — was announced in December.
The leaves and yard debris not only clog the drains, city manager Scott Dadson said in the release, but damage the street sweeper because it is not intended for sweeping heavy loads.
The city is using a 2004 street sweeper and is “nursing her along” with constant repairs, Smalls said during a City Council meeting in June. City officials were discussing ways to pay for a new sweeper at a cost of about $155,000. Most cities replace their sweepers after five years, Smalls said.
On Wednesday, he said the city is beginning the several-month process to buy a new sweeper, which will need to be built. He had hoped to find a deal at the end of 2012. With competitive bids, Smalls said, the cost should be less than budgeted.
The city will keep the current sweeper as a backup for after large storms, he said, but neither sweeper will be intended for repeatedly clearing large, heavy debris.
If debris damages or obstructs drains, ditches or watercourses, residents responsible may be fined up to twice the cost of the damage, according to the release. It also is illegal to put debris in ditches along roads or in areas that drain water. Residents may also have to pay for any damage their debris causes on someone else’s property.
It is a violation of both Beaufort and state laws to put debris in ditches and culverts, and illegal dumping leads to a $1,087 fine in Beaufort.
Smalls listed the following problems caused by debris:
• Leaves cover drainage grates, preventing rain from getting into the drainage system. This impacts traffic and can cause flooding.
• Debris can clog the system internally.
• Dirt, contaminants and other debris deposited in the drainage system affects rivers and estuaries, which can in turn affect shrimp, oysters and other marine life.
• The street sweeper is designed for collecting “normal” leaves and debris deposited naturally by trees. Unusual volume of debris placed in the streets can damage the sweeper.
• The extra debris also causes extra sweeper passes, which slows the sweeper operation citywide.