CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The City of Chesapeake has 2,7000 miles of open ditches and more than 37,000 stormwater drainage structures.
That’s why the Public Information Coordinator for Public Works said cleaning out the stormwater drains is a task that pays off by keeping water moving.
“We can get crews out and get that clear," said Jason Brown. "So, when the rain comes like it is here now, we’ve already got that stormwater can go where it needs to go, and not onto someone’s property.”
When the weather makes a turn for the worst, Brown said, “average to moderate rainfall, we generally know where the trouble spots are."
Also, Brown said the city workers have one request for those property owners. They want you to do your part to keep the leaves on your lawn or get rid of them properly, like putting leaves in a bag for trash collection.
Most importantly, Public Works crews don’t you to use the drains as a trashcan.
“Never put any of that into the storm drains,” said Brown.
If you see issues of blockages in the storm drains, you can call the city at 757-382-CITY (2489) and they'll dispatch a crew to take care of the issue.
So, help the city workers, help you. It pays off on rainy days when they’re doing all they can keep water from backing up onto the roads.