08/19/2026
STORM DRAINS ARE NOT FOR GRASS CLIPPINGS AND LEAVES.
They may be small, but they add up. Grass clippings and leaves blown into the street during yard maintenance don’t just disappear; they end up in the nearest river or plugging local storm sewer systems. When it rains, anything in the street washes into storm drains that lead to area creeks and rivers.
Why should you be concerned? Organic matter such as grass and leaves can cause odors in neighborhood creeks and drainage problems that lead to flooding.
So what’s the best place for yard trimmings?
• Blow grass clippings back onto the lawn, where they become a natural fertilizer
• Rake or blow excess mulching into a compost pile, where they can decompose without odor
• Collect them and bring them to the City's yard waste site
Also, it's against the City of Ossian's Ordinance 135.03 and is considered a municipal infraction punishable by civil penalty
