The City of Branson is encouraging all residents and business owners to double check gutters, drains and pumps to make sure they are connected to the right place and is now offering help to anyone who doesn’t know where they are routed.
During maintenance inspections, the City of Branson Utilities Department will sometimes find rain guttering, basement and crawl space sump pumps and garage/driveway drains that are connected to the City sanitary sewer system. This faulty connection interferes with the biological sewer treatment process, adds cost for treating unnecessary water flows and can be a danger to residents if explosive materials, like gasoline, are spilled into one of these drains.
Because of these reasons, it is prohibited by City code to connect these drains to the sanitary sewer system. When these improper connections are discovered, the property owner is required to re-route the drains or pumps. You can do this by using a natural drainage system, connecting to a nearby stormwater drain or in the case of roof guttering, use a rainwater container or rain barrel.
Rain barrels are making a comeback in many areas for the use of intercepting stormwater from downspouts. They are a great way to reduce excess storm water run-off, conserve water for watering lawns and gardens and can be an inexpensive alternative to purchasing irrigation.
In most cases, a property owner is not aware of where their guttering and sump pumps are routed. If you would like help identifying where your drains end up, contact a Branson Utilities representative at (417) 243-2740.
For more information about rainwater harvesting or where to get a rain barrel, contact the Branson Environmental Specialist at (417) 337-8566 or by email at mmenezes@bransonmo.gov.