Storm Sewer Utilities
Our storm system collects, routes and discharges precipitation back into the river throughout the city. Managing surface runoff is challenging in our flat, flood prone landscape. To successfully move storm water we use a complex series of conveyances including natural features like Rose Coulee, legal drains, inlets, underground pipes, lift stations and retention ponds.
The system is large with over 350 miles of pipe ranging in diameter size from 4 to 132-inches. Even with this level of capacity not all of the rainfall can be drained quickly. Accordingly, to help meet volume quantities storm water retention ponds are required on a local or regional basis.
The storm sewer is a separate system from the sanitary sewer. Unlike the sanitary sewer system the storm system is not connected to a treatment plant, so whatever washes down the storm drain goes untreated into the Red River. Accordingly, only rainwater should enter the storm system because we use the river for our drinking supply.