Public Services

Stormwater Maintenance Division

What we do to serve you

This division is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the City's 120 miles of stormwater conveyance systems (i.e. pipes, ditches, storm manholes, catch basins, spillways, and other drainage structures) to help eliminate flooding of streets and homes. This Division provides an annual cleaning cycle for the City's drainage ditch system. It also provides the sweeping of the City's main roadway arteries, beach and downtown streets and city parking lots. They also provide for the maintenance and repair of City-owned lakes and retention ponds.

This Web site explains the services we offer, and provides you with resources if the stormwater infrastructure in your neighborhood watershed is in need of maintenance or repair.

Street Sweeping...

Residential areas are routinely swept twice each year. However, neighborhoods with heavy tree canopies or deteriorating curbs that can easily collect soil and debris may require more frequent sweeping. Commercial areas, including the beach and downtown are swept weekly.

*If you'd like to find out about street sweeping schedules in your area, call Public Services at 562-4950 x7207.

Drainpipes and Inlets...

While drainpipes are underground and out of sight, they too, need maintenance. As drainpipes age, tree roots can grow through seams in the pipes, and sediments, algae and other plants can build up on the sides. Trash and debris can also wash into the pipes, eventually causing blockages. Sophisticated equipment is used to identify blockages and locations that require repair in underground pipes, and crews may be called to replace damaged sections.

Many drains outfall to the bay, so it is important to prevent objects other than stormwater from washing into drainage openings. The Environmental Protection Agency has mandated that trash and harmful substances be prohibited from entering the bay through drainage sources. Public Services teams have begun a stenciling campaign to mark street drains that go directly to the bay, warning pedestrians not to dispose of any object on the street that could enter the drainage system. Substances such as detergents, motor oil, or grass clippings that may contain pesticides can harm our water resources and should never be washed into these drains. Make sure to place trash in the proper receptacles, and dispose of yard wastes and other refuse properly.

*To report improper disposal of any materials into drains in your area, notify Public Services at 562-4747 or 562-4950 x7207.

Ponds and Lakes...

City teams regularly inspect ponds and lakes throughout the city. Some are city owned and some have drainage easements over them. Maintenance of these bodies of water includes removal of soil, plant overgrowth, and nuisance plant species. Occasional explosive growth of native plants or exotic species can restrict water flow, requiring corrective maintenance. Within the city limits, several ponds and lakes are under maintenance contracts with private firms to remove or spray for invasive plant growth.

*For information about ponds and lakes in your area, call 562-4950 x7207.

Depressions and Sinkholes...

Soil adjacent to buried utility lines can occasionally shift or become compacted, causing depressions in the roadway or surrounding ground, which can be mistaken for a developing sinkhole. Any such depression should be reported to the Public Services Department, 562-4950 x7207. An inspector will determine the cause and a course of action. However, if a similar depression appears on private property, buried utility lines are not present, and a sinkhole is suspected, the property owner is encouraged to notify his or her insurance company.

*Additional information about sinkholes can be obtained from the Southwest Florida Water Management District at 1-800-423-1476.

Questions, concerns, or pleased with the job we are doing? Please let us know. Call the Stormwater Maintenance Manager at 562-4950 x7205.

Together we can make our Neighborhood Watersheds,
the best place to live, work, and play; a Clean and Clearwater City.