When a November rain arrives all at once, Nanaimo’s storm drains have a hard job: they carry water, and whatever people let slip into them, down to the ocean. The City’s “What You Can Do” guide, last updated September 15, 2026, is a practical list for anyone with a rake, a shovel and a bit of attention to the curb.
Keep ditches clear. Yard waste and gravel may look harmless, but they slow the water down. Garbage and recycling belong in bins, not in the ditch. On your street, clear the catch basins near your property when they fill with leaves — a rake in the milder months, a shovel if snow and debris have packed in. “Only rainwater should flow into them,” the City writes, because those drains lead to the sea. Never dump waste, chemicals or debris into ditches, streams or storm drains. For leftover paint and other household chemicals, the City points people to its What Goes Where tool. Illegal dumping can be reported to Public Works at 250-758-5222.
If your yard or driveway pools in a storm, free sand and fillable bags are available at the Public Works Yard, 2020 Labieux Road. It is a do-it-yourself service: bring a shovel and ties, and take only what you need. Culverts are a different matter. The City asks you not to try to clear a culvert yourself; call 250-758-5222 and let staff do it. The same number is the place to report a missing or tampered manhole lid, a damaged catch-basin grate, or anything else that looks wrong on the street.
Over the longer term, the City also encourages people to keep more rain on their own lots, with rain gardens, green roofs, permeable pavement and other low-impact measures that soak up water before it hits the pipes. A wet season is a good time to notice where the water actually goes, and to deal with a blocked drain before the next atmospheric river arrives.
Good to know
- Clear leaves and debris from the catch basin near your property. Do not put yard waste in ditches, and do not try to clear a culvert yourself.
- Free sand and bags: Public Works Yard, 2020 Labieux Road. Bring a shovel and ties.
- Public Works: 250-758-5222. Guidance: nanaimo.ca.
Image: Screenshot of the City of Nanaimo What You Can Do stormwater page.
Photo: City of Nanaimo, Screenshot of official source page, via source.
