Brendan Bulk and Todd Collins of the town's Department of Public Works were busy Wednesday, cleaning out catch basins in the Forest Avenue area. The work is important to keep Middletown's stormwater runoff clean, reduce flooding and other benefits.
Public works Laborer Todd Collins works the high-pressure sprayer to clean out a catch basin on Forest Avenue near East Main Road Wednesday afternoon while fellow Laborer Brendan Bulk controls the heavy-duty boom that sucks up debris. Typically, sand, dirt and leaves are the main debris inside, but every so often the pair said they'll find tennis balls, baseballs, golf balls and large rocks. (Matt Sheley)
A manhole cover from a catch basin on Forest Avenue Wednesday afternoon. Public works Director Robert Hanley said there are 1,800 to 1,900 catch basins across the community to gather stormwater runoff. It can take an entire year for all of them to be cleaned out by public works as part of the town's routine maintenance efforts. (Matt Sheley)
Public works Laborer Todd Collins gets a close look into a catch basin to make sure it's cleaned before moving onto the next one along Forest Avenue Wednesday afternoon. Using a high-pressure sprayer, Collins shoots water inside so debris gathers into the center of the catch basin and is sucked out by the large boom into a waiting truck for proper disposal. (Matt Sheley)