# Who Clears Storm Drains in San Francisco? | Who Pays the Repair?

> San Francisco Public Works clears catch basins and takes 311 reports of overflowing ones; owners are asked to keep sidewalks clear of leaves and debris.

**Who pays:** city

The city clears San Francisco catch basins; call 311 for an overflowing one and keep your sidewalk free of leaves.

**Boundary:** San Francisco Public Works clears catch basins, the storm drains at street corners, and asks residents to call 311 when a catch basin is blocked or overflowing. Property owners, businesses and residents are asked to keep sidewalks free of debris and leaves.

## Sources
- [Overflowing Catchbasins](https://sfpublicworks.org/services/overflowing-catchbasins) — "Catch basins are the storm drains located at most corners of the City's street intersections." (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [Overflowing Catchbasins](https://sfpublicworks.org/services/overflowing-catchbasins) — "If you see that litter on top of a catch basin is preventing water from entering the catch basin or water is overflowing from inside the catch basin, call 311, or submit a" (accessed 2026-09-30)
- [Public Works Gets Ready for Upcoming Rain & Reminds Residents to Prepare](https://sfpublicworks.org/project/public-works-gets-ready-upcoming-rain-reminds-residents-prepare) — "the San Francisco Department of Public Works (DPW) is clearing catch basins and reminding property owners, businesses and residents to prepare by ensuring sidewalks are free of debris and leaves to minimize potential localized flooding." (accessed 2026-09-30)

_Last verified 2026-09-30. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/san-francisco-ca-catch-basin-storm-drain-flooding/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._