Do You Know Where Your Stormwater Infrastructure Is?

Every year, municipalities install new culverts, catch basins, drywells, and other stormwater infrastructure—often without ever documenting their exact locations. Over time, what begins as a few unmapped upgrades can balloon into an invisible network of critical infrastructure that nobody can fully account for.

If your town, city, or village doesn’t know where all of its stormwater components are located, how can it ensure proper inspections and maintenance are being performed? The answer is simple: It can’t.

Unmapped or poorly documented systems put municipalities at risk. A missed inspection could mean a clogged culvert, flooding on public roads, or even property damage. Without service records, it’s impossible to track whether problems are recurring, seasonal, or symptomatic of larger system failures. Worse yet, new projects may inadvertently damage old infrastructure simply because crews didn’t know it was there.

Stormwater systems are not “set it and forget it” assets. They require regular maintenance, and that maintenance starts with knowing what you have and where it’s located.

Inventory Is Key

Municipalities must create and maintain an inventory of their stormwater infrastructure. Each catch basin, manhole, outfall, and drainage structure should be identified, mapped, and assigned a unique ID. This allows maintenance crews to schedule routine inspections, track service records, and identify problem areas over time.

For large cities and counties, robust platforms like Cartegraph offer detailed asset management with GIS integration, condition scoring, work order generation, and budgeting tools. For smaller municipalities with limited budgets, Roadwurx is a purpose-built alternative tailored for highway departments and DPWs. It allows superintendents to record the location and condition of every installation, store photos and maintenance notes, and generate reports for compliance and planning.

Stormwater Doesn’t Wait

Stormwater management is an ongoing responsibility. As regulations tighten and infrastructure ages, having a clear record of your assets isn’t optional—it’s essential. If your municipality doesn’t know where all of its stormwater infrastructure is, now is the time to take action.

Don’t let poor documentation undermine your community’s ability to protect roads, waterways, and neighborhoods. A digital asset management system is the first step toward smarter, safer, and more accountable stormwater maintenance.