Storm drain facts for kids

Storm drain in action.

A storm drain, storm sewer (U.S.), stormwater drain (Australia and New Zealand) or surface water system (UK) is designed to drain extra rain and ground water from paved streets, parking lots, sidewalks, and roofs. Storm drains vary in design from small residential dry wells to large municipal systems. They are fed by street gutters on most motorways, freeways and other busy roads, as well as towns in areas which experience heavy rainfall, flooding and coastal towns which experience regular storms.

Images for kids

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  Storm drain with its pipe visible beneath it due to construction work

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  Full view of a storm drain (Ontario, Canada)

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  Storm drain in Küstrin (now Kostrzyn nad Odrą in Poland)

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  A storm drain culvert under the main road empties into a bigger open channel

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  A truck for cleaning storm drains

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  Lack of proper storm drains and sewer systems in Kalibari community in Mymensingh, Bangladesh – a common situation in urban slums in developing countries

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  Sign alerting public to avoid dumping waste into storm drains

See also

In Spanish: Desagüe para niños