MAMBA DRAINAGE SERVICES
Catch Basin Cleaning Vancouver
Parkade flooding every atmospheric river? Restaurant patio drain backing up? Residential yard drain overflowing onto the patio? Catch basins silt up fast in Vancouver - we vacuum them clean.
Vacuum truck + hydrojet + camera inspection. Commercial, strata, residential. (778) 961-0824.
Why Vancouver Catch Basins Silt Up Fast
Catch basins are the underground concrete or fiberglass chambers that collect surface water from parkades, patios, parking lots, and yard drains before routing it to the storm sewer or daylighted outflow. They’re sized to hold a few gallons of sediment between cleanings – and they fill faster than property owners expect.
A typical Vancouver parkade catch basin captures fine sand, gravel, leaves, road salt residue, oil from vehicles, and the occasional plastic bag. Sediment accumulates at 0.5-1.5 inches per month in heavy-use sites. By the 12-18 month mark, the basin is half-full of compacted silt and the inlet/outlet pipes are partially blocked. Atmospheric river hits, the basin can’t drain fast enough, water backs up onto the parkade floor or restaurant patio.
Three common Vancouver catch basin jobs:
Commercial parkade and parking lot catch basins. Big-box retail, office complexes, and strata building parkades. We service these on annual or semi-annual schedules. Vacuum truck removes accumulated silt and debris, hydrojet cleans the inlet/outlet pipes, camera inspection of the storm lateral confirms it’s flowing clean. Typical $389-$789 per basin.
Restaurant patio and outdoor seating drains. Commercial Drive and downtown restaurant patios have trench drains and small catch basins for patio surface water. FOG from outdoor cooking, food debris, and patio runoff fills them fast. Service every 6-12 months. $289-$549 per drain.
Residential yard catch basins and lawn drains. Found on properties with surface drainage issues, slopes, or low spots where water collects. Strathcona and Mount Pleasant heritage homes often have older brick or concrete yard drains that silt up. $189-$389 per basin.
Every service ends with verification: water flow test, camera inspection of the outlet pipe, written report with photos. Insurance and strata documentation included free for commercial work.
Vacuum Truck + Hydrojet Process
Catch basin cleaning is a two-step process. Vacuum truck removes the sediment from the basin chamber. Hydrojet cleans the inlet and outlet pipes that connect the basin to the storm sewer.
Vacuum step: we lift the grate (or coordinate with property management to access the basin), lower a vacuum hose into the chamber, and suction out the accumulated silt, gravel, and debris. Typical residential basin holds 5-15 gallons of sediment; commercial parkade basins 30-80 gallons. The sediment goes into the vacuum truck’s tank and is disposed of at a Metro Vancouver waste facility.
Hydrojet step: once the basin is clean, we run a 4,000 PSI / 18 GPM hydrojet through the outlet pipe (and inlet pipe if applicable) to scrub the pipe walls and verify free flow to the storm sewer. Camera scope confirms the line is clear all the way to the connection point. See also our hydro jetting page for the technique used.
Camera inspection final step: we run an HD camera through the outlet to the storm lateral connection. Verifies no remaining blockages, no offset joints, no root intrusion in the lateral. Footage emailed as MP4 same day – useful for strata records, insurance claims, and property management compliance.
For chronic issues – basins that fill faster than a typical 6-12 month service interval – we recommend upgraded grates (catch fine debris before it enters the basin), installation of additional catch basins to handle the flow load, or rerouting surface drainage. See our drainage maintenance program for ongoing schedules.
Safety note: catch basins are confined spaces. We do not send technicians into the chamber. All work is done from the surface with vacuum hose and jet wand. Confined-space entry requires separate certification and equipment we don’t carry.
Commercial Maintenance Contracts
Property managers across Metrotown, downtown Vancouver, and Olympic Village retail strips run catch basin maintenance on annual or semi-annual contracts. Predictable budget, scheduled service, certificates for compliance reporting.
Typical commercial contract: 4-12 catch basins per site, serviced once or twice a year, scheduled around business hours. Total $1,489-$4,989 annual for a single mid-size site. Tiered pricing for multi-site property management portfolios.
Strata building parkades: catch basins in the parkade collect water from the ramp entry, parking-space surface, and any leaks from above. Service every 6-12 months recommended. Standard parkade typically has 2-6 catch basins. Total $689-$2,489 annual for a mid-size strata.
Restaurant patios on Commercial Drive, Granville Street, and Davie Street: trench drains plus small catch basins. Service every 6-12 months. FOG buildup from outdoor cooking accelerates fill rate. Total $389-$1,189 annual per restaurant.
Insurance documentation is included free on every commercial visit. Timestamped photos, certificate of service, vacuum truck volume report, written cause-and-condition note on any issues identified.
Emergency same-day priority for contract clients between scheduled visits. After-hours and overnight service available – parkade work routinely scheduled outside business hours to avoid disrupting tenant operations.
Catch Basin Services We Offer
Commercial Parkade Catch Basin Service
Vacuum truck + hydrojet + camera inspection. Sediment disposal at Metro Vancouver waste facility. Annual or semi-annual contracts. $389-$789 per basin.
Restaurant Patio Drain Cleaning
Trench drains and small catch basins on commercial patios. FOG buildup from outdoor cooking. Every 6-12 months. $289-$549 per drain.
Residential Yard Catch Basin
Older brick or concrete yard drains, surface drainage catch basins on residential properties. Heritage homes in Strathcona, Mount Pleasant, Kerrisdale. $189-$389 per basin.
Multi-Basin Property Maintenance
Property management portfolios with multiple sites. Tiered pricing by site count. Scheduled around tenant operations. Custom quote.
Storm Lateral Camera Verification
After every cleaning, we camera-scope the outlet to confirm the storm lateral connection is clear all the way through. MP4 footage emailed same day. See video inspection.
Drainage Capacity Upgrades
If basins are filling faster than service intervals can manage, we quote upgraded grates, additional basins, or rerouted surface drainage. See drainage maintenance.
Why Vancouver Property Managers Choose Mamba
Vacuum Truck + Hydrojet + Camera
Three-step process: vacuum the basin, jet the pipes, camera-verify the outlet. Most competitors do step 1 only. Without jet plus camera, you don’t know if the system is actually flowing.
Strata-Friendly Documentation
Certificates of service emailed within 24 hours. Useful for strata records, insurance compliance, property management reporting. $5M general liability and full WCB on every visit.
Scheduled Around Tenant Operations
Parkade work overnight or weekend. Restaurant patio cleans before opening. Office complex during evening hours. We work around your tenants’ schedules.
Maintenance Contract Pricing
15-30% lower per-visit on annual or semi-annual contracts. Emergency same-day priority included. 86 Google reviews, 4.9 stars – read what Vancouver property managers say.
Vancouver Catch Basin Cleaning Prices
Residential yard catch basin (single): $189-$389 with vacuum and outlet flush.
Restaurant patio trench drain (single): $289-$549.
Commercial parkade catch basin (single): $389-$789 with vacuum, hydrojet, camera.
Multi-basin parkade visit (4-6 basins): $1,489-$2,989.
Restaurant annual contract (patio drains + interior trench): $389-$1,189 annual.
Strata parkade semi-annual contract: $689-$2,489 annual mid-size.
Commercial multi-site annual contract: Tiered pricing, custom quote.
Storm lateral camera scope (standalone): $229-$389.
Emergency / after-hours / stat holiday call-out: $99 premium. Waived for contract clients.
Parkade flooded last November? Restaurant patio backing up? Schedule the catch basin clean before it happens again.
9 Catch Basin Tips for Vancouver Property Owners
- Schedule annual cleaning before atmospheric river season. September-October is the sweet spot for catch basin maintenance. By the first major storm in November, your basins are clear and ready to handle peak flow.
- Lift the grate quarterly for a visual check. Sediment level should never exceed 60% of basin depth. If you can’t see the outlet pipe at the bottom of the chamber, schedule service.
- Restaurants – every 6 months minimum. Outdoor cooking FOG plus food debris fills patio drains fast. Bi-annual cleaning prevents the patio-flooded-during-Saturday-dinner emergency.
- Upgrade grates if debris is the issue. Standard grates let leaves and small debris into the basin. Fine-mesh grates catch debris on top – easier to clean than vacuuming the basin.
- Don’t dump anything down a catch basin. Surface drains route to storm sewer, not sanitary. Surfactants, oils, paint, chemicals all end up in waterways. City of Vancouver bylaws prohibit dumping; fines start at $250.
- Watch for ponding around basins after rain. If water pools around the basin instead of draining in, the basin or outlet is blocked. Schedule service before the next storm.
- Document service for insurance and strata. Certificates of service emailed within 24 hours. Useful at insurance renewal and strata reserve study time.
- Combine services on a single visit. Catch basin clean plus storm lateral camera scope plus parkade trench drain on one visit. Less disruption, often a small discount.
- Maintenance contracts beat ad-hoc calls. 15-30% lower per-visit pricing, emergency same-day priority included, predictable budget. See drainage maintenance programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Residential yard catch basins: annually. Restaurant patio drains: every 6 months. Commercial parkade basins: annually to semi-annually depending on traffic. Heavy-use big-box retail parking lot basins: quarterly.
Vacuum truck removes sediment from the chamber, hydrojet cleans the inlet/outlet pipes, camera inspection verifies the storm lateral is clear, written report with photos and certificate of service. Most basins serviced in 30-60 minutes.
Yes – parkade and tenant-sensitive sites routinely scheduled after-hours or on weekends. We avoid disrupting business operations. No after-hours premium for maintenance contract clients.
Yes – cracked basin lids, damaged grates, failed outlet pipe connections. Repair scope quoted separately. Often paired with a cleaning service to address the underlying issue.
Indicates either surface drainage is overloading the basin (need upgraded grates or additional basins) or the outlet is restricted (jet plus camera will identify). We quote the appropriate fix after the diagnostic visit.
Yes – residential annual, commercial semi-annual, strata semi-annual or quarterly, multi-site portfolios with tiered pricing. 15-30% lower per-visit pricing plus emergency same-day priority. See drainage maintenance programs.
Vacuum truck transports the waste to Metro Vancouver waste facilities. We follow City of Vancouver bylaws on storm-water sediment disposal. Documentation of disposal included in our compliance reporting.
Yes – every commercial cleaning includes a camera scope of the outlet to the storm lateral connection. Verifies free flow. MP4 footage emailed same day. See video inspection.
30-day workmanship warranty on cleaning work. If the same basin clogs from the same cause within 30 days, we return free. Maintenance contract clients get extended warranty coverage between scheduled visits.
THE UTMOST QUALITY AND PROFESSIONALISM, 24/7
QUALITY IS OUR GAME
Mamba Drainage strives to deliver excellence one client at a time by upholding our core values throughout our services. We believe honest and meaningful work creates and sustains the foundation for exceptional client relations.