What is Storm Drain Cleaning?

Storm drain cleaning uses vacuum trucks to remove silt, debris, leaves, and accumulated sediment from storm sewer lines, drop inlets, and culverts. Regular maintenance keeps storm systems flowing at design capacity — critical for flood prevention, MS4 compliance, and protecting downstream water quality.

Key Benefits in Houston

• Restores storm system to design flow capacity before peak rain seasons
• Helps municipalities meet MS4 permit and SWPPP compliance
• Removes contaminants before they reach receiving waters
• Prevents costly downstream blockages and localized flooding
• Documented before/after data for regulatory reporting

Storm Drain Cleaning for Houston Conditions

Houston sits in a subtropical climate. Local soil profile: Clay, Sandy loam, Caliche. Primary industries — oil & gas, construction, utilities, municipal, telecommunications — drive ongoing demand for storm drain cleaning work in the Harris County area.

Texas 811 (811) requires 48 hours of advance notice before any excavation in Texas, including storm drain cleaning work.

When to Use Storm Drain Cleaning

• Annual or bi-annual municipal maintenance contracts
• Pre-storm-season preventative cleanouts
• Post-storm debris removal and damage assessment
• Commercial property storm system maintenance
• Construction-site storm system cleanouts during/after build phase

Storm Drain Cleaning Pricing in Houston

Storm Drain Cleaning in Houston typically runs USD $170–$525 per hour, depending on truck size, water volume needed, debris-disposal logistics, and project complexity. Hydrovac Hotline matches you with Houston-area providers who quote against your specific scope so you can compare apples to apples — no guessing.