GerryMandering and Drainage

[ABetterDetroit]

Am I understanding that people in the Detroit area are still allowed to connect their downspouts to the sewer system?

Toronto made this against the law some years back, allowing only for exceptions where properties are so narrow, hardened [[no soil), or angled such that disconnection would be a hardship.

Today people's downspouts are used to water the lawn/garden, and/or go into a rain barrel to be used later for same.

It's against code to do that kind of thing now but unfortunately Detroit and all the older suburbs are terribly behind on separating storm run off from sanitary sewers.

Many decades where lost in addressing common sense upgrades so now the problems are just stacked up on each other. Lead water supply lines and system issues, drainage and sewers, bridges and roads, overhead electric grid and natural gas line failures.

There is a old saying that if you can't see it, it doesn't need fixing about underground construction and this state embraced that thinking and married it.