We understand that cost is a major consideration when settling on a storm water system maintenance plan for your property.
As each site varies greatly, it can be difficult to provide the exact pricing of installation, maintenance, and inspection(s). On average, for the properties with few storm water devices and low traffic, annual cost may be under $1,500. For a larger site such as a retail center, the annual maintenance cost may be greater than $8,000. There are a few things to keep in mind, however, that will influence how much you’ll spend.
Storm water system maintenance often includes a combination of the following:
- BMP services (annual inspections and cleanings)
- Green services (such as maintenance of bioswales)
- Vault services (inspections, cleanings, repairs, disposals)
- State-mandated compliance reporting (from our annual or semi-annual inspections)
- 24-hour emergency response service
For a full list of services offered by SWIMS, click here:
Initial Walkthrough
Before any work begins, a SWIMS estimator will do an initial walk-through of your site. The estimator will ask the property manager/property owner for the storm water plans given to them during construction. If these plans are available, SWIMS will confirm everything that is reflected in the plans regarding storm water devices is present at the site. If the plans are unavailable, SWIMS will do a thorough inspection of the site to locate and identify the entire storm water system and all storm water filtration devices on site in order to compose a plan for maintenance.
After the initial walkthrough, SWIMS will write a quote. The quote usually includes two parts:
- The cost of fixing important and obvious problems
- An annual estimate, or what it will cost yearly for maintenance and inspection of your site
What affects the cost?
One of the major impacts on cost is how often SWIMS needs to visit your site. The number of visits is generally determined by the type of storm water devices present on your site as well as the amount of traffic on your site.
The state of California requires that a property follows the manufacturer’s guidelines for maintenance for storm water devices. So, SWIMS may need to return to your site a certain predetermined number of times in order to be in compliance with the law. For example, a catch basin must be maintained three times per year. Other devices may need to be cleaned or otherwise maintained only once per year.
The next variable is the amount of traffic on your site. If you’re a business with light or regular traffic, your devices won’t need as much attention as a site that experiences more heavy traffic (such as a Home Depot or retail center).
Tips for keeping maintenance costs down
The best overall strategy to keep costs down is by being proactive rather than reactive. Routine inspections and annual preventative maintenance allow problems to be corrected before they become emergencies and major expenses.
Being proactive helps to avoid fines. SWIMS will be able to perform routine maintenance, correct problems, or make adjustments to keep your site in compliance with California law.
Additionally, make sure your site is accessible. It’s going to cost more if SWIMS needs to make multiple visits to your site because there is a car parked over the drain or a manhole covered in sod.
SWIMS is committed to providing cost-effective and compliant solutions to our clients. Take a chance on us risk-free by scheduling your free storm water inspection.