News Release
Councillor Urges Residents to Help Keep Hydrants, Catch Basins Clear
(Thursday, February 20/2003)-- Councillor Dawn Sloane suggested today that residents of Halifax Regional Municipality should consider "adopting" catch basins and fire hydrants in front of their properties.
Councillor Sloane said the heavy snowfall this winter has made it difficult for HRM crews to keep fire hydrants and catch basins (storm sewer drains) clear of ice and snow.
The Councillor said "For example, the municipality has about 22,000 catch basins and it is a huge task, at the best of times, to keep them clear of ice and snow. We're getting into warmer temperatures now, and any significant amount of rainfall will certainly cause flooding in neighbourhoods where the catch basins are blocked."
Councillor Sloane suggested that residents consider "adopting" fire hydrants or catch basins near their property, and taking responsibility to ensure that they are kept free of ice and snow at all times.
"We have Adopt-a-Highway programs, so why not adopt a fire hydrant or catch basin? It would be a dreadful thing if the fire department responded to a fire in your neighbourhood and they couldn't locate the fire hydrant because it was covered with snow. The same holds true for catch basins. If they're blocked, somebody's property is going to be flooded. If everyone helped out, just a little bit.....we'd all be better off, " she said.
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Councillor Dawn Sloane
(902) 490-4812
