Stormwater Management Division

What is stormwater and why am I paying for it?

The Stormwater Utility Fee funds the state and federally mandated Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program (CSMP). This includes things like the maintenance and repair of public ditches, stormwater pipe systems, and other drainage structures, water quality and flooding capital improvement projects, investigation and prevention of pollution discharges, and more.

Out in the Field

In the Community

Resources

Stormwater Roadside Ditch Maintenance Brochure (PDF)
"After the Storm" Brochure (PDF) (Information on Preventing Stormwater Pollution)
Dismal Swamp Canal Study (Stormwater quantity and quality feasibility study)
Watershed Studies, Reports and Maps

Report It!

If you see a company or citizen dumping an illicit discharge down a catch basin, in a ditch, etc. please report it by calling 757-382-CITY (2489). Provide as much information as possible (license plate of car, what they appear to be dumping, etc.) and a stormwater employee will be dispatched to investigate the situation.

Drainage Problems?

Chesapeake Stormwater Operations manages the City's vast network of stormwater ditches, pipes and structures. If you experience problems with the system that is resulting in flooding, call the Customer Contact Center at 757-382-2489 to report the problem as soon as possible! Most requests for assistance are investigated within 14 working days.

Stormwater FAQs

Why do I have to pay a stormwater bill?

Rainwater falling on rooftops, pavement, and other impervious (solid, non-porous) surfaces runs off in greater quantity and contains more pollutants than rain falling on unimproved forests and grasslands. In developed areas, this runoff must be managed to keep it from causing flooding and to remove the pollutants before it is discharged into streams and rivers. The revenue generated from the Stormwater Utility Fee is used to maintain public ditches, piped systems, and other stormwater structures, and also to ensure that pollutants carried by stormwater runoff are removed before the runoff reaches our waterways.

What does the stormwater fee cover?

The Stormwater Utility Fee funds the Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program (CSMP), which is mandated by state and federal law. This includes things like the maintenance and repair of public ditches, stormwater pipe systems, and other drainage structures, water quality and flooding capital improvement projects, investigation and prevention of pollution discharges, and more. It’s important to note that with more than 2,700 miles of open ditch, nearly 1,100 miles of underground pipe, and nearly 37,000 drainage structures throughout the City, the Public Works Department must prioritize stormwater system maintenance and repair.

What does the stormwater fee NOT cover?

There are both public and private ditches throughout the City. A private ditch collects water from private property only, such as those located between houses. The maintenance of a private ditch is the responsibility of the property owner.

View All