Stormwater Management

The stormwater system collects runoff from hard surfaces like roads and roofs and moves stormwater away from homes and businesses, helping to prevent flooding. The City’s first stormwater pipes were constructed over 120 years ago and were considered a best practice at the time. As the City developed and paved more areas, the natural water cycle was interrupted and stormwater quality and quantity issues emerged.

When rain falls on hard surfaces like roads and buildings, it can pick up contaminants that end up in waterways and the ocean. Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) mimics natural systems by absorbing and treating rainwater where it falls. GSI can include rain gardens, green roofs, bioswales, tree soil cells, permeable pavers, cisterns and infiltration chambers. These systems slow the flow of water and clean it before it returns to the environment and surrounding bodies of water.

To work alongside traditional stormwater pipes and drains, the City is developing GSI to help:

• protect waterways and keep them clean for recreation and wildlife habitat
• reduce flooding and increase infrastructure resiliency to climate change weather events
• use rain as a resource
• reduce infrastructure cost

GSI is typically less expensive to maintain that traditional stormwater pipes.

Green stormwater Infrastructure provides other community and ecosystem co-benefits such as increasing biodiversity and habitat, mitigating urban heat and increasing greenspace.

All spills or leaks — any size, substance or location — must be reported. Even if you think something may not be hazardous, it may still impact public health, downstream infrastructure and the environment. 

What To Do When a Spill Happens

• Keep everyone safe. If the spill is toxic, flammable or you're not sure, leave the area and call 911.
• Do not flush any material into sanitary or stormwater systems (i.e., drains or catch basins).
• Contain the spill if it's safe to do so. Block drains and limit spreading.
• Report the spill to the City of Victoria at 250.361.0400 (24/7) and other required authorities, as listed below.

For more detailed guidance on what to do when a spill happens, see the City of Victoria’s Spill Reporting Guide. 

Provincial Spill Reporting

Spills must be reported to the B.C. Environmental Emergency Branch at 1.800.663.3456.  

Visit the Province’s spill reporting web page for more information about what is required, including what information you must provide to the dispatcher.  

Only clean water is allowed in storm drains and everyone must comply with the Sanitary Sewer and Stormwater Utilities Bylaw.

For information on where to properly dispose of waste, visit the Capital Regional District’s website. 

This is a program to clean stormwater before it leaves a property. Properties will be registered in the program if they:

• have 10 or more parking spaces
• are automotive businesses, recreation facilities, recycling operations or storage yards
• have construction activities on site

The annual rate per registered property is $205.70.