Stormwater management has been a critical concern for many cities in recent years. Stormwater runoff can carry pollutants from parking lots and lawns and other sources of pollution like sediments and nutrients that end up in rivers and streams. These pollutants affect the health of natural habitats and people by contaminating water supplies or causing contamination-related illnesses such as asthma. To help combat this problem, municipalities across the country have turned to stormwater maintenance programs to ensure the optimal performance of their system.
Professional companies like Bay Country Contractors in Alexandria, VA, can also help with stormwater maintenance at your property.
You can take three steps to make sure your system is performing correctly.
1. Keep it Clean
Stormwater systems are designed to handle rain, not leaves and other debris. If you use your system for yard waste disposal or parking lot sweeping, be sure to keep it clean by removing all trash before letting the water flow into the storm drain.
Be sure that any yard waste or other material is removed from areas near your storm drain before allowing water runoff. This helps prevent clogging of inlets and channels inside the pipe network, which can result in flooding during heavy storms.
2. Maintain Vegetation
It’s important to maintain vegetation around your stormwater system. Remember that plants act as sponges for water, soaking it up and helping prevent runoff into the city sewer system or private septic tanks. Vegetation also helps protect soil from erosion by wind and rain, leading to clogging of drainage systems over time.
Keeping soil intact reduces erosion during heavy storms, so ensure not to disrupt planting beds too much when working with this area!
While it makes sense to grow vegetation in other areas of the property, you must prevent plant and weed growth inside the stormwater system. This includes clearing out vegetation inside the drain inlet, grates, and other related areas. It's also essential to keep silt from entering the system through these openings since it can significantly reduce flow capacity over time.
Don't allow sediment or pollutants like chemicals to enter storm drains either; be sure to collect any leftover materials before they make their way down your pipes. This will help maintain optimal drainage performance throughout the lifespan of your property.
3. Regular Infrastructure Inspection
Another critical aspect of stormwater maintenance is inspecting your equipment for signs of damage or malfunction. This includes cleaning the inside of catch basins and drain pipes to ensure they don't become clogged with sediments, vegetation growths, etc. These inspections help determine whether repairs are needed before a system failure occurs and effectively mitigate risks!
The experts at Bay Country Contractors can help ensure the stormwater system installed in your residential or commercial property in Alexandria, VA, continues to perform at an optimal level. We provide full-site maintenance and repair services to our clients. With our team on the watch, you can put aside all property maintenance worries. Get a free estimate from our team now!
