Hurricane season stormwater prep: the 6-week checklist

Why the 6-week window matters

Hurricane season officially runs June 1 through November 30. But the crews and vac trucks that clean catch basins in South Florida are the same fleet that responds to storm emergencies — starting late May, availability collapses and pricing goes to premium. The window to get preventive work done at normal pricing closes fast after mid-April.

Week 6 — Aerial + permit review

Pull your ERP permit and current aerial imagery. Confirm the number of catch basins, ponds, and outfalls, and identify any structures that have been paved over or lost to landscaping. This is a desktop task — no cost — and tells you the actual scope before you request quotes.

Weeks 5–4 — Vactor cleanout

Every catch basin gets vacuumed to the pipe invert. Priority: basins in the lowest-elevation areas, near tree canopy (leaf load), and at parking-lot entrances (sediment tracking). If any basin's sump is more than 25–30% full, it goes on the list.

Week 3 — Trunk line jetting (as needed)

If any basin has held water after a normal rain or shows slow drainage, hydro-jet the connecting pipe. Skip this on systems that drained cleanly through the prior year — you're not required to jet every foot annually, and it burns budget you'll want for corrective work.

Week 2 — Outfall & pond inspection

Walk every outfall. Look for erosion at the discharge point, blockage, or vegetation encroachment. On ponds, verify the control structure is clear and the littoral shelf isn't overgrown with cattails or invasive material that will float free in a storm surge.

Week 1 — Tree trimming near grates

The single biggest cause of post-storm flooding is a grate covered in wind-blown vegetation. Trim canopy back from every catch basin — no branches directly overhead. If your landscaping vendor won't do it, get someone in.

Day 0 — Documentation

File the service reports, photos, and manifests. If you get a storm-damage claim or a compliance question in October, the paper trail is what protects you. Every service we perform ships with a compliance-ready package for exactly this reason.