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Public Works


Storm Water Management Division

MICHAEL SCHAEFER, PE
Storm Water Engineer

2233 McKann Avenue
Norfolk, VA 23509
Phone: (757) 823-4000
Fax: (757) 441-2402
Email: stormwtr@norfolk.gov

Effective July 1, 2008, new storm water rates for residential and non-residential customers will apply. The new rates for residential service are $8.08 per month.  The new rates for non-residential customers are $0.182 per 2,000 sq ft of impervious area.
 

NEW MONTHLY STREET SWEEPING PROGRAM
Public Works - New Monthly Street Sweeping Program

To view the master city-wide street sweeping map follow the link below.
City-Wide Map

To view the information regarding sign installation follow the link below.
Sign Installation Flyer

To view the information regarding street sweeping updates follow the link below.
Street Sweeping Updates

 
Zoned Sweeping brochures are available through your local libraries and recreaction centers.
For additional information call 757-823-4000.

 

Our mission is to reduce street flooding due to storm water  and to reduce the discharge of pollutants
from the storm  water system to the maximum extent practicable.
 
As one of the first cities in the country to submit its application for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, Norfolk implemented its Environmental Storm Water Management Program and storm water utility in July 1991. In the absence of federal and state funding, revenue for the Environmental Storm Water Management Program is derived primarily from storm water fees. The Division of Environmental Storm Water Management oversees the program.

Norfolk's comprehensive program addresses the quality (pollution reduction) and quantity (flood control) of our storm water runoff, while meeting state and federal environmental regulations. Norfolk's storm water system consists of 349 miles of pipes, 137 miles of ditches (33 tidal), 13 storm water ponds, 10 storm water pump stations, and 1100 outfalls discharging to waterways.

Select any of the following for more information
  1. Definition of storm water runoff and its effects
  2. Storm water services and programs

  3. Storm water fees

  4. Useful phone numbers

  5. Pretty Lake Dredging and Channel Marking

  6. Mason Creek Study

Definition of storm water runoff and its effects
 
Water is essential for life. It is our most precious natural resource. Surface waters - such as rivers, lakes and the Chesapeake Bay - can easily become polluted. Both point and nonpoint sources contribute to water pollution. Storm water runoff comes from many diffuse (or nonpoint) sources. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that at least 50 percent of our nation's water pollution is caused by storm water runoff.
When it rains or snows, runoff picks up and carries a wide variety of pollutants into our storm water system. These pollutants then flow into our local waterways - and on to the Bay. Some examples of storm water runoff pollutants include:
Detergent, fertilizer, pet waste, and yard waste such as leaves, grass clippings, and pine needles
These substances contain nutrients - one of the greatest pollution problems affecting the Bay. The nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus not only cause grass to grow, but an excessive amount also causes algae to grow in our waterways. Algae blooms cause fish kills and block sunlight for the underwater vegetation needed by fish and shellfish for food and cover. Pet waste, like human waste, is also disease-carrying raw sewage. Raw sewage in our waterways can make water unusable for fishing, swimming, and drinking.
Automotive products such as motor oil and antifreeze; hazardous waste such as cleaners and paints; and pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides)
These materials are toxic, so they are harmful to humans and animals as well as the environment. Antifreeze is a particular hazard to pets, which may drink from contaminated puddles. Toxics in our waterways can make water unusable for fishing, swimming, and drinking. In Norfolk, many of our lakes are used as drinking water reservoirs. Four quarts of motor oil can create an 8-acre oil slick and contaminate millions of gallons of drinking water.
Yard waste and litter
These items decompose in water, removing oxygen needed for aquatic life. Yard waste can also clog the storm water system, contributing to street flooding. Litter often ends up floating in the ocean or washing up on our beaches. Plastic litter endangers marine animals, which eat it mistakenly as food and become entangled in it.
Sediment (soil, sand, silt, clay)
Sediment from unvegetated areas clogs fish gills, blocks sunlight for underwater vegetation, and smothers shellfish and fish-spawning areas. It is the largest contributor of storm water pollution by volume.
Storm water services and programs
 
The Environmental Storm Water Management Program provides a variety of services to our customers. The program consists of the following:
    • Flood reduction projects
    • Storm water quality projects for pollution reduction, such as storm water ponds
    • Maintenance and improvements to the storm water system
    • Cleanup of illegal dump sites
    • Detection of illicit (non-storm water) discharges and connections to the storm water system
    • Monitoring of storm water pollutants
    • Inspection of Best Management Practices (BMPs)

BMP Installation Guidelines - Word Format

BMP Installation Guidelines - pdf Format
    • Inspection of construction sites for erosion and sediment controls, such as silt fences
    • Protection and preservation of wetlands and other shoreline natural resources
    • Public education and information for pollution prevention.
 
These services are provided by 72 positions in various departments: Divisions of Environmental Storm Water Management and Financial Management (Public Works), Bureau of Environmental Services (City Planning), Bureau of Environmental Health Services (Public Health), and Bureau of Parks and Forestry (Recreation, Parks, and General Services).
Storm Water Fees

The services provided by the Environmental Storm Water Management Program are funded by fees charged to residential and nonresidential properties. Fees are based on the property's contribution to storm water runoff. The runoff contribution is determined according to a property's amount of impervious area (impenetrable surfaces such as concrete and asphalt that do not allow storm water to infiltrate). Impervious surfaces adversely impact the volume, quality, and speed with which runoff and pollutants reach the storm water system and our local waterways.

The Storm Water Fees are $8.08 for residential service per month.

Useful phone numbers

 
    • Disposal of antifreeze, motor oil, pesticides, fertilizer, and household hazardous waste
      • Norfolk Environmental Commission 441-1347
      • Southeastern Public Service Authority's Info. Line 424-4297

    • Flooding or sweeping emergencies
      • Norfolk Environmental Storm Water Management (during hours)  823-4000
      • Norfolk Information Line, City of Norfolk (after hours) 664-4000

 

    • Lawn care/landscaping
      • Norfolk Parks and Forestry 441-2435
      • Virginia Cooperative Extension 683-2816/427-4769
      • VCE's Master Gardener Hotline (weekdays, 9 a.m. to noon, April through October) 441-2398

 

    • Litter control /prevention
      • Norfolk Environmental Commission 441-1347

 

    • Permits - environmental
      • Fill (no fee) 823-4000
      • Pesticide application (CBPA) (no fee) 441-2435
      • Trees (no fee) 441-2435
      • Wetlands (variable fee) 664-4372

 

    • Polluting hotline for illegal dumping, spills, suspicious activities/odors (24 hours)
      • HazMat Team, Environmental Crimes Task Force 441-2536

 

    • Recycling
      • Norfolk Environmental Commission 441-1347
      • Southeastern Public Service Authority's Information Line  424-4297

 

    • Storm water billing
      • Norfolk Public Works, Financial Management 664-4633

 

    • Storm water services, information, speakers, or brochures
      • Norfolk Environmental Storm Water Management 823-4000
      • Hampton Roads Planning District Commission 420-8300

 

    • Street sweeping
      • Norfolk Storm Water Management (Sweeping Section) 823-4095

    • Wetlands/shoreline resources
      • Norfolk Environmental Services 664-4368
      • Virginia Shoreline Erosion Advisory Service 925-2468

 

    • Yard waste recycling
      • Norfolk Waste Management 441-5813

 

    • Pretty Lake dredging and channel markings
      • Division of Environmental Storm Water Management  823-4000

 

  • Other numbers:
    • Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Regional Information Service 1-800-662-CRIS
    • Chesapeake Bay Foundation 622-1964
    • Elizabeth River Project 625-3648.

 


 
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810 Union Street, Norfolk, VA. 23510 757-664-4000