It's not just catch basins -- New Orleans has to clear tons of debris from the drain lines connected to those catch basins to make sure the city's drainage is flowing properly.
Ramsey Green, city hall's top man for infrastructure, says when Hurricane Barry was forming in the Gulf, the city ordered an emergency cleaning of catch basins.
"They pulled 60 tons of debris out of the catch basins and connected lines," Green told WWL's Newell Normand.
That's like having a pair of humpback whales stuffed in the city's drains. Green says it gave them a good idea of what they're facing.
"We're nowhere near where we need to be, the lines that connect to the Sewerage and Water Board," Green said, "but we're seeing a dramatic increase of the effectiveness of the work we're doing."
Green says when the full effects of the fair-share of tourism revenue the city negotiated with the state kicks in, they'll be able to pay for more frequent cleaning of storm drains, but that's not until 2022.
The Cantrell administration wants the New Orleans City Council to ask voters to approve a $500 million bond issue to help pay for other improvements, but the council hasn't agreed yet, saying it has more questions about the tax proposal.