October 17, 2025 By Carol Britton Meyer
As part of a WaterSmart leaves campaign during the month of October, Hingham residents are encouraged to clear storm drains near where they live to keep them free of debris.
WaterSmart is a nonprofit partnership between the North and South Rivers Watershed Association and 12 South Shore towns, including Hingham, Cohasset, Hull, Hanover, Scituate, Weymouth, and Norwell.
According to the NSRWA website, fall leaves raked or blown into the street can get into storm drains and cause flooding and affect water quality. Deteriorating leaves add phosphorus to water bodies, which can pollute local waters.
A good alternative is to rake leaves into gardens, flower beds, and out of the way areas so that small animals, bees, and butterflies can use them to overwinter.
Then in late spring, these leaves can be composted or used for natural fertilizer or mulch.
The NSRWA website offers the following tips on how to help keep storm drains clean:
- Pick up pet waste and put it in a trash can
- Pick up trash before it washes into storm drains
- Don’t dump leaves or yard debris into these drains
- Stop using chemical pesticides and fertilizer
Don’t dump dirty water or oil into storm drains
For more tips on how to be keep storm drains clear, go to www.nsrwa.org/get-watersmart/stormwater/