Fort Lauderdale drains differently from inland Broward. Much of the city sits only a few feet above sea level, canals run behind thousands of properties, and high tides can push water back up the same pipes that are supposed to carry rain away. When a private catch basin is already half full of sand and leaves, there is no margin left. Express Drain & Sewer Cleaning vacuums catch basins and inlets and jets the connecting storm lines for HOAs, condo associations, plazas, hotels and commercial lots across Fort Lauderdale, working from our yard at 5801 Mayo St in Hollywood.
Why Fort Lauderdale storm drains clog and back up
The City of Fort Lauderdale calls itself the "Venice of America," and its canal network is the reason drainage here takes more care. The city reports that it maintains more than 9,600 inlets, about 1,000 outfalls and 187 tidal valves on the public system (City of Fort Lauderdale Stormwater Operations). Private properties connect to that system or discharge to their own seawall outfalls, lakes or exfiltration trenches — and those private structures are the owner's to maintain.
Three things fill private catch basins in Fort Lauderdale faster than in most of the county:
- Sand. Beach sand, construction sand and sand tracked in by traffic settle in the sump of every basin near the barrier island, Las Olas and the beach corridor.
- Tree litter and mulch. Mature canopy in neighborhoods like Victoria Park, Rio Vista and Coral Ridge drops leaves and seed pods straight onto parking lot grates, and landscaping crews add mulch.
- Tidal debris. Where a property drains toward a canal, high water can carry silt and debris back into the outfall pipe and leave it behind when the tide drops.
Sunny-day flooding along Las Olas and the New River
Not every flood in Fort Lauderdale comes with rain. During the highest tides of the year, water in the canals and the New River can rise above the outfall pipes that drain nearby streets and lots. Without a working check valve, the tide flows backward through the pipe and bubbles up out of the storm drains on a clear day. Residents call it sunny-day flooding, and it is most familiar in the low-lying isles off Las Olas Boulevard and along the New River near downtown and the Riverwalk.
The city has been raising seawalls, installing tidal valves on public outfalls and rebuilding drainage in the most affected neighborhoods; its Fortify Lauderdale program lists Southeast Isles and Victoria Park among its first-phase stormwater projects (Fortify Lauderdale FAQs). Private properties along the water have their own part to play. If your lot or garage drains to a seawall outfall, the backflow valve on that pipe and the basins feeding it need to be clean for the valve to seat and close. Sediment and shells caught in a flap or duckbill valve hold it open, and the tide gets in. We vacuum the basins, jet the line to the outfall and tell you if the valve looks damaged or stuck, so your engineer or marine contractor can repair it.
King tides, summer storms and the April 2023 flood
The city warns that its low elevation and waterways make it highly vulnerable to king tides, which NOAA predicts on at least 40 days in 2026, mostly from September through December (City of Fort Lauderdale King Tides). King tide season overlaps the peak of hurricane season. When a high tide slows the outfalls and an afternoon storm arrives at the same time, every clogged basin on a property shows up as standing water.
On April 12, 2023, a measured 25.91 inches of rain fell at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport, with about 20 inches in six hours (NOAA Storm Events Database). No cleaning program would have kept every property dry that day. But properties with clean basins and clear lines recovered faster, because water drained as soon as the system downstream could take it. Clean drains do not stop flooding from tides or record rain — they keep a normal storm from becoming a flood and help the property drain quickly after a big one.
How we clean storm drains in Fort Lauderdale
Every job follows the same order, so nothing is left half-done:
- We vacuum out each catch basin and inlet with a vacuum truck, from the surface, down to the bottom of the structure.
- We jet the connecting storm lines when they are restricted, so water can actually leave the basin.
- We clear the grates and frames so inlets accept water again.
- We photograph each structure before and after, and note cracked basins, broken grates or restricted lines.
- We haul all waste to a licensed disposal facility.
Who we clean storm drains for in Fort Lauderdale
Most of our Fort Lauderdale storm drain work is for HOAs and condo associations, from waterfront towers along the beach and the Intracoastal to garden communities west of US-1. We also clean parking lots and drive aisles at shopping plazas and restaurants on Las Olas Boulevard and Federal Highway, hotel and apartment properties, office parks, and warehouses near Port Everglades and the airport. Property managers with several sites can put every Fort Lauderdale property on one schedule, with one contact and one set of reports.
Parking lots, condo garages and traffic
Surface parking lots are where most private catch basins sit, and they collect the most debris: sand from tires, leaves from landscape islands and litter from the curb. On large plaza and office lots we work from your site plan or drain list, so every basin is numbered and accounted for, including the ones under parked cars or hidden by landscaping.
Condo and hotel parking garages need different care. Ramps and lower levels usually drain through trench drains and floor drains that feed a sump or the building storm line. When those fill with grit, water sheets down the ramp during a storm and pools at the bottom level, where it reaches cars and elevator pits. We clean the trench grates and channels, vacuum the drains and sumps, and jet the lines to the outfall.
Fort Lauderdale traffic shapes every job. We coordinate with the property manager on where the truck can stage, cone off each open structure, and keep a lane open for residents and deliveries. For busy restaurant and retail lots on Las Olas and Federal Highway, beachside buildings along A1A, and garages with tight clearance, we schedule early mornings, overnight or weekends so cleaning does not compete with customers, valet or event traffic.
How often to clean storm drains in Fort Lauderdale
The city schedules each public storm drain for inspection twice a year under its NPDES stormwater program. For private properties, we recommend at least one full cleaning before June 1 and a second pass before king tide season in the fall. Waterfront properties, lots under heavy tree canopy and sites near construction often need quarterly cleaning. After any named storm, have the basins checked again — storms refill them with sand and debris. To keep the whole system on a set calendar, see our stormwater maintenance programs.
Records for boards, insurers and drainage renewals
After every visit you get a dated report with the structures cleaned, before and after photos, the approximate volume removed and notes on any damage. Boards use it to show the system is maintained, insurers ask for it after a flood claim, and your engineer can use it when a Broward or drainage district renewal comes due. We are a licensed plumbing contractor, not an engineering firm — we clean the system and provide the records, and your engineer handles any certification. Our guide to HOA storm drain maintenance in Broward explains what boards should keep on file.
Public drain or private drain?
If water is backing up from a grate in a public street or swale, report it to the City of Fort Lauderdale 24-hour customer service line listed on the city stormwater page. If the drain is in your parking lot, courtyard, garage ramp or along your seawall, it is usually private, and we can clean it. If you are not sure, send us the address and a photo and we will tell you what we see.
Book storm drain cleaning in Fort Lauderdale
Call (954) 763-2520 with the property address, the number of drains and any areas that held water in the last storm. We answer 24/7 and quote the work before the truck rolls, or use Request Service below to send the details. See our main storm drain and catch basin cleaning page for the full service, or our Fort Lauderdale service area page for everything else we do in the city.
Call (954) 763-2520 — 24/7
