Brooklyn Volunteer Clears Storm Drains to Cut Flooding

Leaves clogging New York's century-old sewers can cause downhill flooding, and one resident has taken on the work herself.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Environmental

Leaf-clogged storm drain grate on a rain-slicked Brooklyn street, water pooling in the gutter, with brownstone facades blurred in the background. — Brooklyn volunteer Valeen Bhat clears leaves from storm drains in Clinton Hill whenever it rains, a personal response to flooding as storms intensify across New York City. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you clear leaves from storm drains near your home this fall?

Valeen Bhat, who runs the Private Picassos children's art studio in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, clears leaves and debris from storm drains whenever it rains. The effort is a personal, volunteer response to flooding; it is not a city program.

Why it matters

Rain is falling faster and harder in New York as global warming intensifies storms, and the city's century-old sewers were not designed for current storm intensity. Leaves clogging drains can cause severe local flooding, so clearing them at the street level is a small but direct intervention.

The only hard figure in the report is two deaths from last fall's deluge in New York City. The report does not quantify drain blockage, flood depth, or the effect of leaf removal on runoff.

The players

Valeen Bhat

Owner of Private Picassos, a children's art studio in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, who clears storm drains and advocates for leaf clearance.

The details

Bhat puts on waders and a hot pink raincoat to clear storm drains whenever it rains. Storm drains are street-level inlets that carry rainwater into underground sewers, and leaves that block them can cause water to back up and flood nearby streets. Drains that clog uphill, the report notes, lead to flooding downhill.

A Thursday in October, one year prior: a sudden downpour flooded Private Picassos, trapping teachers and students until firefighters rescued them.
Last fall: a deluge caused two deaths in New York City and prompted Bhat's advocacy for leaf clearance.

The Tech Race

The source does not describe a competing technology, product roadmap, or research program. This story concerns manual drain maintenance rather than a technical development.

Residents near clogged storm drains face a higher chance of street flooding when it rains, and clearing leaves from drains is a step anyone can take. The source gives no timeline for city-wide action, so it is unclear whether broader drain maintenance will change soon.

The takeaway

Clearing leaves from storm drains near your home is a concrete way to reduce local flooding during heavy rain. Watch whether city agencies adopt drain-clearing programs in response to the storms that caused two deaths last fall.