Wet Weather Preparedness

Every year, before the first raindrop hits the pavement, LA Sanitation and Environment (LASAN) activates our comprehensive Wet Weather Plan. Our mission is to keep our neighborhoods safe, protect property, and ensure public roadways remain passable.

To keep stormwater flowing safely out to the ocean and away from your front door, our specialized field crews work around the clock to maintain our defenses:

• Catch Basin Clearing: We clean and inspect all 40,000 sidewalk catch basins across the City of Los Angeles, clearing away leaves, plastic, and litter.
• Debris Basin Maintenance: We clear out the city's 70 hillside debris basins, often cleaning them multiple times mid-storm to prevent mud and mountain runoff from choking local streets.
• Drainage Channel Sweeps: We clear deep drainage channels so large volumes of water can travel smoothly through the city without backing up.
• Emergency Dispatch Teams: When heavy rain hits, we deploy rapid-response crews across every district yard to clear sudden blockages and assist regional emergency personnel.

Being a good neighbor means preparing your home or business before severe weather strikes. Take these simple steps to protect your property:

[ ] Clear your gutters: Clean out leaves, twigs, and trash from your building’s roof gutters and backyard drains so rainwater doesn't back up into your walls.

[ ] Secure loose outdoor items: High winds can carry away loose patio furniture, tarps, toys, and palm fronds, turning them into dangerous street hazards or plugging up storm drains.

[ ] Protect bare hillsides: If you have open dirt slopes on your property, cover them with protective tarps or burlap to keep the saturated soil from sliding.

[ ] Pick up sandbags: If your garage or driveway sits in a low-lying area, grab free sandbags from the fire department to create a water barrier.

[ ] Turn off your sprinklers: Save water and money by turning off your automated irrigation systems just before, during, and immediately after any rain event.

[ ] Build a basic emergency kit: Gather enough food and water to last your family and pets for three days to a week. Include a first aid kit, flashlights, extra batteries, a radio, emergency cash, and copies of important documents.

When severe weather strikes, staying alert and inside is your best line of defense. Keep these critical safety tips in mind:

1. Managing Your Trash Bins
On collection days, place your black, blue, and green bins at least 6 inches back from the curb line. This helps prevent rushing gutter water from knocking them over. Keep an eye on local announcements—during severe storms, trash collection services may be temporarily suspended. If service is paused, do not leave your bins on the street where they can create hazardous driving blocks.

2. Driving and Roadway Safety
Always slow down in construction areas and be respectful of city crews working in the "cone zone." If you spot a downed power line, never touch it or drive over it—assume it is live, stay far back, and call 9-1-1 immediately. If your vehicle becomes trapped in rising water, stay inside. If the water continues to climb rapidly, carefully move out of the cabin onto the hood or roof of your car and wait for emergency responders.

3. Avoid Moving Water
City streets are designed to act as natural channels, carrying water up to the edges of the curbs during intense downpours. Never attempt to walk, swim, or drive through flooded intersections or rushing channels. Turn around – don't drown. Stay completely away from deep mountain flood channels, swollen rivers, and steep slopes.

Our city's hidden infrastructure works 24/7 to manage immense volumes of water. Here is a look at the scale of the networks LASAN maintains to keep our communities safe.

Who should I call if a storm drain or catch basin on my street is clogged with leaves?

Please call our 24-hour Customer Care Center at 1-800-773-2489 or use the MyLA311 smartphone app to submit a non-emergency service request. Our crews will be dispatched to clear the blockage. Note: During active heavy rain events, please limit your calls to critical, urgent flooding issues.

Where can I get free sandbags to protect my driveway or garage?

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) provides free sand and empty bags to city residents. You can find a complete, up-to-date directory of local fire stations stocked with these supplies by visiting the official fire department website at lafd.org.

What should I do if my street begins to flood over the sidewalk?

Monitor local news outlets closely for emergency weather notices and evacuation updates. Be prepared to leave your property immediately if local authorities issue an official evacuation order. If you see a life-threatening flooding emergency, please dial 9-1-1 immediately.