Illegal Dumping & Sewer Maintenance
The sewer system / storm drains have been causing an awful stench throughout our community. Many of you may not be aware that the design of our drainage system is extremely antiquated. The water that comes from the park drains up onto Arrowhead Dr. and flows down the gutter just past Mirror Lake, crosses Arrowhead Dr. and goes down another sewer line. This is true on other streets as well.
As you are all aware our streets are not perfect and, in some areas, our gutters have inconsistencies that cause dirt and water to gather along the path and lay stagnant.
In addition, we have come to notice that the fruit vendors are illegally dumping the melted ice from their carts which contain fruit juice and remnants of cut fruit into our storm drains and onto our streets. We are noticing along with the worsening stench of fermenting and rotted fruit that bees and mosquitos are swarming areas where fluids are not flowing properly.
The issue of clogged drains has been reported to street services who have been out; however, we believe with the ongoing work being done by DWP will be re-addressing the issue as they complete each street.
The larger issue of illegal dumping by the illegal fruit vendors, is being handled by the Health Department, LADWP, LA County Government Officials and our LAPD Captain and Senior Lead Officer. If you see anyone dumping into our storm drains please take a picture, document date and time and send it to our board so we can forward it along with our other photo’s and video’s.
To learn more about illegal dumping and how it effects communities go to https://cleanla.lacounty.gov/illegal-dumping/
However, there are certain homes that no matter what water gathers, due to the slant or buckled areas in front of your homes. This is not the fault of one homeowner vs another and I have reported this to our city council office and asked for street repairs once DWP is done as it will make matters worse. However, we are asking that everyone takes responsibility and makes an effort to ensure we have no stagnant water in our gutters or around our homes.
I spoke with our Vector Control neighborhood representative, and he wanted me to alert our community that with the new varieties of mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus to remember that one drop of water can be a nesting area for mosquito eggs/larva.