Rain Preparedness and Response

Although the City of Warren routinely performs street sweeping, leaves, trash, and debris often gather on storm sewer catch basin grates between cleanings.

• Check that the storm sewer catch basin grate near your home or business is clear
• If you live on one of Warren’s gravel roads, you can do your part by making sure the ditch in front of your home is clear of leaves and debris.

A few quick and easy practices that you can follow throughout any large rain events in order to help reduce the amount of water being used, and in turn help reduce any flooding that may occur during these large rain events.

Less is more!

• Take a shorter shower. Reducing your shower by just 3 minutes could save up to 12 gallons of water!
• Load your dishwasher completely before running it or washing individual dishes by hand.
• Decide what laundry is necessary to get done, and which loads can wait until after the rain.
• Try to flush the toilet less or only as needed… we are all familiar with the excellent phrase “if it’s yellow…”
• Reducing water is not as hard as it sounds. Simple tasks such as turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth or washing your face can cut down on water usage more than you may think.

For the ambitious water conservers out there:

• Try taking a “navy shower”, also referred to as a military shower. The idea is to get in the shower and rinse your body, then turn the shower off while soaping up. Finally, turn the shower on to rinse off. It may seem tedious, but a regular shower can use up to 60 gallons of water, while a “navy shower” can use as little as 3 gallons!

Be Aware:

• One of the most important tips we can give is to be aware of your water usage. Taking the time to stop and think about how many times you use water throughout the day, and areas of your daily routine where you can reduce water usage is the best first step to take!

• Report your address to the Warren Water Department via Q-Alert or by calling (586) 759-9200 or call the Mayor’s Office at (586) 574-4520.
• Contact the Red Cross for flood assistance at 1(800) 733-2767.  Once connected, please press the following prompts for assistance:  4    2    2    2
• Visit RedCross.org for information on Disaster Cleanup & Repair for your home.
• Visit Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for additional information on flood cleanup.

Residents are advised that if there is flooding in homes or in your area, take the following measures to help prevent damage.

• Move objects away from the drains in your basement.
• Remove valuables from the basement.
• Get items up off the floor in the basement.
• Put items in  waterproof containers.
• If there is a storm drain grate in the street near your home, please check to make sure the grates are clear of debris.

The Warren Fire Department would also like you to keep in mind that water and electricity do not mix.

• If residents or business owners are experiencing flooding in the lower levels / basements of their home or business, they should contact their electrical service provider or a licensed electrician to temporarily disconnect / shut off electrical service to the lower levels / basement of their property.
• If there is a history of flooding from heavy rain events and no water is currently present in the lower levels / basement of the property and the resident or business owner is comfortable the resident or business owner should consider turning off the electricity at the panel for the lower levels / basement to eliminate the risk of fire / electrocution.  If not comfortable contact a licensed electrician.
• Additionally, if no flooding is present in the lower levels / basement of a resident or business any device that is connected to an electrical outlet including appliances (freezers, washers, dryers) equipment (treadmills, tv’s, etc. or anything that is powered by electricity (furnaces, electric and gas water heaters) in the flood prone areas of their property should be disconnected from electrical outlets.
• Prior to turning electrical service back on in an area that has experienced flooding a licensed electrician should be contacted to ensure that there is no damage to the electrical system.
• All electrical devices that have been exposed to water should be considered damaged and should be replaced.  This includes appliances, equipment, furnaces, electric and gas water heaters (everything).

Homeowners/Tenants/Property Owners can take precautions to protect their property and take steps to help reduce the potential for basement flooding. Many of these steps are no to low-cost. A few of these measures may have some expense, but preventative maintenance could help reduce the potential of flooding and reduce the damage to your home.

• Only flush human waste and toilet paper. NO disposable wipes, pads and cleaning products as they will not dissolve and normally plug your sewer lateral service line and drains.
• Pour grease, fats and oils into containers, NOT in your drains
• Store valuable items on shelves in basement and not on the floor; valuables should go as high as possible and in waterproof containers
• If possible, elevate or protect utilities in your basement, including furnace and hot water tank
• Frequently inspect floor drains and clean of any debris or blockage
• Maintain your sewer lateral service line, clean and televise routinely, repair as needed
• Regularly clean gutters, keep rainwater from overflowing next to home’s foundation
• Seal foundation cracks and repair other structural issues such as failed basement windows and caulking
• Regrade dirt, mulch, and other material to slope away from the home’s foundation
• Direct gutter downspouts 5 feet away from your home’s foundation
• Address all plumbing leaks (toilets, faucets, hot water heaters, or any other fixtures) that may be consuming your sewer line capacity