Stormwater Operations
Protecting Property, Roadways, and Waterways
The Village of Bolingbrook Public Works Department's Stormwater Section is responsible for maintaining the Village's stormwater collection system and drainage infrastructure to help reduce flooding, protect public infrastructure, improve water quality, and safeguard local waterways.
Stormwater is rainwater and snowmelt that flows across streets, sidewalks, parking lots, rooftops, and other hard surfaces. Unlike wastewater, stormwater is not treated before it enters local streams, rivers, and waterways. Because of this, proper maintenance of the Village's stormwater system is essential to protecting both the community and the environment.
The Stormwater Section works year-round to inspect, maintain, repair, and improve the Village's drainage infrastructure while responding to severe weather events and localized flooding.
What Does the Stormwater Section Do?
The Village maintains hundreds of stormwater assets throughout the community that require routine inspection and maintenance.
Public Works responsibilities include:
- Storm sewer inspections and maintenance
- Catch basin cleaning and repairs
- Storm sewer pipe repairs and replacement
- Culvert inspections and maintenance
- Roadside ditch maintenance
- Stormwater inlet cleaning
- Drainage investigations
- Erosion control
- Flood response
- Emergency storm response
- Stormwater infrastructure improvements
- Capital drainage projects
Routine maintenance helps reduce localized flooding, improve drainage, extend the life of infrastructure, and protect public roadways and property.
The Village's stormwater system includes many components working together to safely move stormwater away from neighborhoods and roadways.
Infrastructure maintained by Public Works includes:
- Storm sewer mains
- Catch basins
- Storm inlets
- Culverts
- Drainage ditches
- Detention and retention facilities
- Drainage easements
- Stormwater structures
During Heavy Rain Events
During periods of heavy rainfall, Public Works crews continuously monitor weather conditions and inspect critical drainage locations throughout the Village.
Priority response areas include:
- Flood-prone roadways
- Blocked catch basins
- Culverts
- Storm sewer systems
- Drainage channels
- Areas with reported flooding
- Critical transportation routes
- Public facilities
Crews are dispatched based on public safety concerns, roadway conditions, and the severity of reported flooding. Response times may vary depending on the number of service requests, weather conditions, and the scale of the storm event.
Preventive Maintenance
The Village follows a proactive maintenance program designed to keep the stormwater system functioning efficiently throughout the year.
Preventive maintenance activities include:
- Scheduled catch basin cleaning
- Storm sewer inspections
- Culvert cleaning
- Ditch maintenance
- Vegetation management
- Debris removal
- Drainage structure inspections
- Stormwater infrastructure evaluations
Regular maintenance helps reduce emergency repairs, improve drainage, and protect the Village's investment in public infrastructure.
How Residents Can Help
Residents play an important role in protecting the stormwater system.
You can help by:
✔ Keeping leaves and yard waste out of streets and storm drains
✔ Never dumping oil, chemicals, paint, or other pollutants into storm drains
✔ Picking up pet waste
✔ Properly disposing of grass clippings and landscaping debris
✔ Reporting blocked storm drains, flooding, or damaged stormwater infrastructure
Working together helps protect neighborhoods, reduce flooding, and improve water quality throughout the Village.
Did You Know?
Stormwater and sanitary sewers are two separate systems.
Stormwater from streets and neighborhoods flows directly to nearby waterways, while wastewater from homes and businesses is collected and treated at the Village's Water Reclamation Facilities before being safely returned to the environment.