# Fabric-like material left on newly installed storm grates **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2025, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabric-like-material-left-on-newly-installed-storm-grates/1024819 "2025-11-13T02:30:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabric-like-material-left-on-newly-installed-storm-grates/1024819/1 "2025-11-13T02:30:44Z")
A pretty big road project has been going on locally and new drainage and grates were installed. All of the grates have black material sticking up around the edges and I’ve seen a few with what look like orange straps that may have been used to lower the grates in place. It looks really messy and it appears all the work is done. What could be going on? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabric-like-material-left-on-newly-installed-storm-grates/1024819/2 "2025-11-13T02:37:25Z")
I think I’ve heard that it’s supposed to prevent the drains from getting clogged with leaves, but it always seems to have the exact opposite effect… ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabric-like-material-left-on-newly-installed-storm-grates/1024819/3 "2025-11-13T02:39:05Z")
You you mean like this stuff? > **[Ultra-Drain Guard® - Economy Frame Model - SpillContainment.com](https://spillcontainment.com/products/ultra-drain-guard-economy-frame-model/)** > > There are many different models of Ultra-Drain Guards most of which are held in place by the weight of the grating. Pinching the fabric of the Ultra-Drain Guard between the grating and the catch basin’s opening is very effective. However, the excess... ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabric-like-material-left-on-newly-installed-storm-grates/1024819/4 "2025-11-13T02:53:21Z")
Construction projects produce a lot of loose dirt and debris, collectively known as sediment. You don’t want this material going into the catch basins and storm/drainage sewers where it can clog them up or even end up in the nearest water body (which is where most storm sewers drain to). Not only does the sediment typically contain environmentally harmful pollutants, but even clean sediment causes harm to fish and other aquatic life. (I actually did my master’s thesis on this topic.) Sedimentation control measures (like catch basin filters) are typically required during construction projects. They don’t leave them in place all the time, though, because they clog frequently and have to be cleaned off. These stormwater pollution prevention measures are actually required by state and federal laws that originated with the Clean Water Act of 1972 and subsequent amendments. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabric-like-material-left-on-newly-installed-storm-grates/1024819/5 "2025-11-13T03:28:24Z")
@robby has the right of it. In the construction business, you are required to have a Storm Water Pollution Prevention (SWPP) Plan. It covers preventing soil, silt or sediment from washing into the storm sewers or waterways with use of silt cloth, coir logs and other physical measures. It’s one of the last things to be removed since it’s required throughout the project. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabric-like-material-left-on-newly-installed-storm-grates/1024819/6 "2025-11-13T06:19:40Z")
The only thing to add to @robby ‘s answer is that lifting straps are likely to be left in place until the final check and activation of the grates. They may well have to lift them a few times to do stuff before the works are considered complete. While some sedimentation controls will need to be removed on completion, others are designed to degrade in situ, like erosion matting and drainage lines made of fibrous matting, straw bales etc. Its these which really can make a newly completed construction look like crap for a few years until nature asserts itself. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fabric-like-material-left-on-newly-installed-storm-grates/1024819/7 "2025-11-13T13:58:39Z")
Thanks Makes sense and maybe the project isn’t actually done yet. The “lifting straps” may be the handles pictured in Whack’s link. It looks like hell for now, though.