It was a dark and stormy night…
December 13, 2008 5:36 PM Subscribe
Who does one call to reconnect gutters to stormdrains?
So after living in my house for nearly five years, I somehow just recently got cited a city code violation for having my gutters disconnected to the city's stormwater drains (they run out on the ground). Normally this is fine, but it turns out I happened to live in a pocket of one of the neighborhoods that requires rainwater to drain in to the stormwater system. I grew up in Southern California where it hardly ever rained so this is not something I am familiar with or have ever had to deal with or know anything about.
So who I am supposed to call who can do this? I'm in Portland, OR in case that is relevant.
So after living in my house for nearly five years, I somehow just recently got cited a city code violation for having my gutters disconnected to the city's stormwater drains (they run out on the ground). Normally this is fine, but it turns out I happened to live in a pocket of one of the neighborhoods that requires rainwater to drain in to the stormwater system. I grew up in Southern California where it hardly ever rained so this is not something I am familiar with or have ever had to deal with or know anything about.
So who I am supposed to call who can do this? I'm in Portland, OR in case that is relevant.
If you haven't already, looks like there's a lot of info here. Sounds like the city will come out and disconnect downspouts for free... so perhaps for a fee they'll re-connect them? I would just contact the city -- if you haven't dealt with the city before, don't be worried. In general, I have found the people at planning and BES to be friendly and helpful.
posted by amanda at 6:23 PM on December 13, 2008
posted by amanda at 6:23 PM on December 13, 2008
Roofers typically do rain gutter work, plumbers typically do drain work. I'd call one or the other and let them tell me whether I've guessed right or not. In my experience roofer labor is cheaper than plumber labor, so I'd call a roofer first in case either of them can do it. (Ultimately, this may be controlled by whether you need a plumbing license to tie into the city storm drain, which the tradespeople will be able to tell you instantly.)
Also -- yeah, wow. Most towns are on crusades to get people to *disconnect* their downspouts from the sewers and storm drains. I wonder what their reasoning is.
posted by range at 6:50 PM on December 13, 2008
Also -- yeah, wow. Most towns are on crusades to get people to *disconnect* their downspouts from the sewers and storm drains. I wonder what their reasoning is.
posted by range at 6:50 PM on December 13, 2008
Also -- yeah, wow. Most towns are on crusades to get people to *disconnect* their downspouts from the sewers and storm drains. I wonder what their reasoning is.
As a former Portland resident: there's areas of Portland where too much runoff in certain cases will cause one of a variety of problems. In the west hills the main risk with too much runoff routed through the soil is erosion and landslides. In a select few districts on the east side of the city just east of Tabor Park, too much ground-based runoff will pollute the reservoirs that supply water to the area... the city doesn't filter water because the quality is USUALLY so high already that there's no need. There are probably other select cases that mostly deal with environmental and geological issues.
posted by SpecialK at 7:03 PM on December 13, 2008
As a former Portland resident: there's areas of Portland where too much runoff in certain cases will cause one of a variety of problems. In the west hills the main risk with too much runoff routed through the soil is erosion and landslides. In a select few districts on the east side of the city just east of Tabor Park, too much ground-based runoff will pollute the reservoirs that supply water to the area... the city doesn't filter water because the quality is USUALLY so high already that there's no need. There are probably other select cases that mostly deal with environmental and geological issues.
posted by SpecialK at 7:03 PM on December 13, 2008
You'll want a plumber to connect you to the storm drain. They're the only people that can hook up directly to either the sewer, water or stormwater mains.
posted by electroboy at 11:46 PM on December 13, 2008
posted by electroboy at 11:46 PM on December 13, 2008
I know that Portland offers a discount on your storm water usage fee/tax if you use a rain barrel, so you may be better off just hooking up to a barrel and finding a use for the barrel (garden, or laundry, or somesuch).
posted by idiopath at 12:59 AM on December 14, 2008
posted by idiopath at 12:59 AM on December 14, 2008
My experience suggests that neither a plumber or a roofer will do this work. Sole proprietor plumbers will sometimes do work outside of a building (meaning things generally underground) but many plumbers consider the work of the plumber to end at the exterior wall, aside from connecting a new supply.
I would look to landscape contractors who work with storm water management or excavators who do sewer work.
posted by Dick Paris at 5:42 AM on December 14, 2008
I would look to landscape contractors who work with storm water management or excavators who do sewer work.
posted by Dick Paris at 5:42 AM on December 14, 2008
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You could probably reconnect them yourself with a trip to home depot, a screwdriver, and knowledge of where the drains are. Outside my house I've got a pipe that sticks right up out of the ground next to the foundation. I recently disconnected my downspouts and set up a rain barrel. Would they allow you do to a rain barrel?
Ah, I just noticed you're anonymous. The stormwater mafia... I understand.
Perhaps contacting a roofer would be a good option?
posted by amanda at 6:16 PM on December 13, 2008