Clear the storm drain grates on a flood-prone Camden block before the next rain (2026-07-18)

Streets in Cramer Hill and Centerville flood curb-to-curb partly because storm grates are buried under leaves and trash before the rain even starts. A cleared grate can be the difference between a wet street and water in a doorway. This is repeat work — the grates load up again every few weeks. Standard: Municipal stormwater MS4 maintenance practice; SDG 11. Proof: GPS-tagged before/after photo per grate plus a cleared-grate count Method (Municipal stormwater MS4 maintenance practice; SDG 11.): 1. Walk the assigned block and locate every storm drain grate. 2. Rake and hand-pull debris off each grate surface with gloves until the openings are fully exposed. 3. Bag the debris and set it out for collection — never sweep it back into the street. 4. Note any grate that is broken or sunken for the city's service line. 5. Photograph each grate before and after with GPS and date. Done when: GPS-tagged before/after photo per grate plus a cleared-grate count

Where

Street storm drains, River Ave corridor, Cramer Hill, Camden, NJ 08105

Pay

$80 proposed

This packet is not funded yet, so this figure is a proposed price and not money waiting in escrow. If a buyer funds it, approved proof settles that price onchain. If nobody funds it, approved proof earns provable credit toward the work instead of cash. You see which before you claim, never after.

Proof

GPS-tagged before/after photo per grate plus a cleared-grate count

This is exactly what gets it approved. Nothing settles without it.

Level

entry

Open until

2026-08-17

How this work is done

A documented method, so this packet comes out the same whoever does it. Typically 60–180 minutes. Method of record: Storm drain inlet surface cleaning + minor grate/apron repair per EPA MS4 stormwater BMP maintenance — SURFACE WORK FROM THE CURB ONLY; never enter the drain, never lift beyond the grate; assess→clear/repair→verify

Bring

• heavy work gloves + hi-vis vest + grabber tool and rake
• contractor bags for debris (landscape debris separated from trash)
• camera + measuring tape
• cones for the curb work zone (stay out of the traffic lane)

Steps

1. 1. ASSESS: photograph the inlet as found (grate, apron, gutter approach), note blockage type and any damage (broken grate, displaced apron concrete), and record GPS.
2. 2. Set cones at the curb work zone; all work is from the sidewalk/curb — never step into the traffic lane and never enter, reach into, or open the drain structure.
3. 3. Clear debris, sediment, and litter from the grate surface and the gutter approach with the rake/grabber; bag and dispose of it properly (green waste separated).
4. 4. Minor repair within surface scope: re-seat a displaced grate that lifts freely by hand from above, patch apron spalls with cold-patch where the city standard allows; anything more is documented, not attempted.
5. 5. VERIFY: photograph the cleared inlet from the same vantage, pour a bucket of clean water at the gutter approach to show flow into the inlet, and report any structural damage to the municipal stormwater line (311/MS4 contact) with photos.

If it does not match the plan

• Anything requiring entry, reaching into the barrel, or lifting a seized grate -> STOP: document and report to the municipality; surface work only.
• Suspected illicit discharge (odor, sheen, off-color flow) -> do not touch; photograph from the curb and report to the MS4 hotline immediately.
• Inlet on a high-speed road with no safe curb work zone -> document from the sidewalk only and report; never work in the traffic lane.

What counts as done

• Before/after photos from matching vantage show the grate and gutter approach clear
• Water-flow photo/video shows drainage into the inlet with no ponding at the approach
• Debris bagged and disposed (photo), green waste separated
• Any structural damage reported to the municipal stormwater contact with the report reference recorded

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.