The City updated the stormwater management (SWM) ordinance and Public Works Design Standards Manual (PWDSM) in March 2022 and separated SWM into regulations based on state and City standards. 

Channel protection and flood protection regulations are written into the City's ordinance and are largely based on requirements set forth by Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. 

Design storm and check storm regulations are written into the Public Works design manual and are additional City requirements to ensure projects will not create or worsen areas of known flooding concern.

​How does the stormwater system work?

The municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) is a network of drains, pipes and ditches that carry rain water away from impervious surfaces to outfall points at streams, creeks, rivers, lakes, bays, or oceans. 

The MS4 is owned and maintained by the City and is separate from the sanitary sewer, which primarily conveys wastewater from buildings' internal plumbing. The Virginia Beach MS4 is mostly a passive system in that it relies on gravity and the force of the water flowing through the pipes to carry water away from sidewalks, roads, and other impermeable surfaces.

Stormwater management facilities help remove pollutants from rainwater runoff to improve local surface water quality and/or prevent erosion and flooding. These are required to be installed during land development in accordance with the City's stormwater management ordinance.