Brooklyn Artist Clears Storm Drains Against Flooding

Valeen Bhat, who runs an art studio in Clinton Hill, cleans leaves and debris from Brooklyn storm drains whenever it rains.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Environmental

Wet cast-iron storm drain grate on a rain-soaked curb with fallen leaves piled against it, brick rowhouses blurred in the background under overcast light. — Valeen Bhat, owner of Private Picassos in Clinton Hill, clears leaves from Brooklyn storm drains whenever it rains, after an October flood trapped her studio's staff and students. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Would you clear leaves from storm drains near your home this fall?

Valeen Bhat, owner of the children's art studio Private Picassos in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, clears leaves and debris from storm drains whenever it rains. Her advocacy follows a flood that inundated her studio last October, trapping teachers and students until firefighters rescued them.

Why it matters

Heavier, faster rainfall is overwhelming New York's century-old sewers, which were not designed for current storm intensity. Leaves clogging drains can cause flooding that spreads downhill from blocked points, affecting residents across the city.

The only quantified figure in the source is two deaths in New York City from last fall's deluge, with no baseline provided for comparison. The extent of citywide drain blockage and the precise gap between sewer capacity and current storm intensity are not reported.

The players

Valeen Bhat

Bhat owns the Clinton Hill children's art studio Private Picassos and has become an advocate for clearing leaves from Brooklyn storm drains.

The details

Bhat puts on waders and a hot pink raincoat to clear storm drains in Brooklyn, a practice she has advocated since last fall's deluge. Leaves and debris clog the drains, and flooding can follow, as it did when a downpour flooded her Clinton Hill studio.

Last fall: a deluge in New York City caused two deaths.
A Thursday in October of the prior year: a downpour flooded Private Picassos and firefighters rescued the trapped teachers and students.

Seasonal Patterns

Rain in New York is falling faster and harder as global warming intensifies storms, outpacing a sewer system built more than a century ago. Individual efforts to clear storm drains, like Bhat's, are emerging as a response to a flooding risk the older infrastructure was never designed to handle.

Residents can help keep storm drains clear by removing leaves and debris from drains near their homes, especially before heavy rain. Clogged drains uphill can cause flooding downhill, so local clearing matters.

The takeaway

Keeping storm drains free of leaves is a simple, practical step that can reduce localized flooding during heavy rain. Clear drains near your home before storms arrive.