It’s that time of year when the rain comes and leaves start to fall.  With falling leaves come blocked storm drains.  City crews work to keep storm drains clear, but with over 6,500 drains in Olympia, we could use your help. 

Rake a drain - help prevent flooding:  Snow, leaves, and debris can clog storm drains and cause local flooding.  Use a garden rake or shovel and remove the leaves from the storm drain.  Be sure you remove the debris off the street, or it will just return during the next storm. 

Don’t create flooding - know your options:  Raking your leaves into the street adds to localized flooding.  Instead, compost or use your leaves as mulch.  Not a gardener?  Find a neighbor who is, or take your leaves to the City of Olympia yard waste drop off site.   

• Get free leaves: The City of Olympia has FREE leaves available for composting that have been swept up by the City's street sweeper.  There is a 5-yard minimum and they are available on a first-come, first-served basis.  Call (360) 753-8588 for more information.
• Yard waste drop off site still open:  The site is open from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays, through November 15, 2008.  The site is located at 1401 Eastside Street, SE, Olympia.  Learn more about the drop off site.
• Leaves are gardeners' gold:  Put sustainability into action and use your leaves for compost or mulch.  When properly used as mulch or compost, leaves provide an outstanding organic matter and nutrients to the soil.
• Sign up for yard waste service: Residents can sign up for the City’s year-round yard waste service, or you can order a temporary yard-waste only container, which is charged on a per dump basis.  You fill the containers with leaves, and City staff dumps them for you.  The leaves are taken to the Thurston County Waste and Recovery Center for composting.

Property owners should not blow or rake leaves into the street for City crews to clean up.  Our street sweeper cannot pick up big piles of leaves; therefore, when a property owner rakes their pile into the street, we have to send out a special crew to clean them up.  This is a big expense that cuts into other vital services.

Keeping the streets clear of leaves is a partnership effort.  City crews are responsible for cleaning leaves that fall onto the streets, and adjacent property owners are responsible for cleaning up leaves from their own property, including sidewalks and roadside planting strips.

Need assistance?  If flooding is severe and you are unable to clear the drain, please call us at (360) 753-8333, TTY (360) 753-8270.  We are here to help.  Can't control the flooding and need sandbags?  Visit our sandbag page for more information.

Need More Information about Public Works Programs or Services?  Contact the Public Works office.

• Physical Address: 924 7th Ave. SE, Suite A 
• Mailing Address:  PO Box 1967, Olympia, WA 98507
• Download printer-friendly (PDF) directions to our office
• Hours:  M - F from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except for City-recognized holidays)
• Phone: (360) 753-8588
• TTY: (360) 753-8270
• Email:  Public Works