With winter weather making its debut this week, the City is busy preparing for the rainy season by offering free sand bags to residents seeking to protect their properties from flooding and emergency erosion.
Sand bags are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from Oct. 5 through April on a first-come-first-serve basis. Bags are pre-filled and are limited to 10 bags per resident. Residents can pick-up sand bags throughout the City at the following locations:
Alicia Park, 23650 Via Linda
Animal Services Center, 28095 Hillcrest
Mission Viejo Civic Center, 200 Civic Center
Florence Joyner Olympiad Park, 22760 Olympiad Road
Gilleran Park, 24960 Felipe Road
Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center, 24932 Veterans Way
Youth Athletic Park, 22056 Olympiad Road
City Public Services staffers are also doing their part to protect the City by inspecting, cleaning and clearing catch basins and flow lines to prevent flooding and such. While the City prepares, residents are also encouraged to protect their homes from flooding by remembering the following tips:
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Pick up all litter and loose objects in your yard and on your property. Anything loose can be washed away. This includes yard clippings, branches, etc., that can clog storm drains. Dispose of yard clippings in your green waste container.
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Check your own yard drains to make sure they aren’t clogged. If they are, clean them and properly dispose of the debris. Also, look at the catch basin at the end of your street. If it’s clogged, report it to the City at 949-470-3095.
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Sweep all dirt from driveways and walkways and throw it in the trash containers. Even dirt is a pollutant when carried into the creeks. Never hose down sidewalks or walkways.
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Don’t fertilize or use pesticides on your lawn and garden before a storm. These chemicals are washed off the lawn into the street and storm drains.
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Don’t store paints or any other toxic chemicals outdoors. Only store them in containers with tight-fitting lids.
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Always clean up pet waste and flush it down the toilet, or securely wrap it and throw it in the trash container.
For more information, contact the Public Services Department at 949-470-3095 or by e-mail at publicservices@cityofmissionviejo.org.
