Maintenance of catch basins and storm sewers prevents stormwater pollution runoff into the James River and Chesapeake Bay,
reduces mosquito infestation and provides a cleaner appearance to city neighborhoods.
Along with cleaning and drainage infrastructure maintenance, the utility encourages citizens to install Low Impact Design (LID)
components on their property. LID allows stormwater to be filtered or stored on site, instead of flowing untreated to the James
River or Chesapeake Bay.

Rain Garden

On-Site Storage

Permeable Pavement

Vegetated Filter Strips
Some examples of LID are:
- On-site stormwater storage
- Rain gardens
- Vegetated filter strips
- Permeable pavers

A catch basin full of debris is vacuumed by the Stormwater Maintenance Team. What a difference!
Following the Stormwater Fees
The stormwater fees you pay go toward three major components:
Consistent Operations and Maintenance
This includes the inspection, cleaning and clearing of catch basins, drainage ditches and detention ponds.
Stormwater Master Plan
The Master Plan takes an overall look at all of Richmond's watersheds and
provides a total engineering solution to address problem areas where a quick
fix is inadequate.
Regulatory Compliance
The city must ensure that it meets very stringent state and federal stormwater regulatory requirements.
How Stormwater is Tied to Government Regulations
Polluted stormwater runoff is the leading source of surface water pollution in the United States.
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Conservation and Recreation have ordered
aggressive standards for pollution reduction in the James River.
Each locality developed programs that identified and eliminated non-stormwater
discharges in the storm sewer system, including illegal dumping of materials
such as paint, leaves, debris, oils and grease into storm sewers.
Richmond is also responsible for the enforcement of programs controlling waste and sediment and reducing
pollutants from construction sites - major contributors of urban stormwater pollution.
Each locality must bear the financial responsibility of these mandates since they do not come with state or federal funding.
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