The Drainage Maintenance Program is a cooperative effort between the Delaware County Engineer, the Delaware Soil & Water Conservation District, and the Delaware County Commissioners. The Maintenance Program, authorized under Chapter 6137 of the Ohio Revised Code, is responsible for the upkeep of all drainage improvements within Delaware County. Specifically, the ORC states “The county engineer shall have general charge and supervision of the repair and maintenance of all county and joint county ditches, drains, watercourses, and other drainage improvements within his county …” (post 1957). The ORC further states that “the board of county commissioners with the advice of the county engineer may enter into agreements with local soil and water conservation districts for the purposes of planning, constructing, or maintaining works of improvement …”

In Delaware County, drainage improvements include open ditches, subsurface tile mains, surface drains, and subdivision storm water systems. Placing subdivision stormwater systems on maintenance has been a requirement since July 1998.

For More Information on the Drainage Maintenance Program, contact:
Milt Link, Drainage Maintenance Coordinator