Tulsa Storm Sewer Assessment Program

In 2015, the City of Tulsa began on a bold and forward-thinking initiative: a comprehensive, citywide storm sewer assessment program. At the time, few municipalities had ventured into this kind of infrastructure evaluation. Sanitary sewer assessments were common, driven by health regulations, but storm sewer systems—often out of sight and out of mind—rarely received the same attention. Tulsa’s decision to prioritize this work was not only visionary; it was transformative. 

Visionary Beginnings 

WSB, through its legacy firm Meshek, was called upon to lead the effort. What began as a pilot project in a single drainage basin quickly evolved into a decade-long phased program, covering the entire city basin by basin, starting with the oldest and most vulnerable areas. The goal was clear: to inventory, assess, and understand the condition of Tulsa’s storm sewer infrastructure, and to use that data to inform capital planning, maintenance strategies, and rate studies. 

But the impact of this project went far beyond technical deliverables. “This project matured us as an organization,” said Michael Couch, GIS Manager at WSB. “We had to scale up—more staff, better technology, and new management processes. We built server environments we’d never needed before, we learned how to integrate CCTV data, manage subconsultants, and implement sophisticated condition rating systems.” 

Jason Kleps, GIS lead at WSB, added, “It expanded our technical capabilities and our relationships. We worked with teams in the city we’d never interacted with before. It put us front and center in Tulsa’s capital improvement planning and rate study processes.” 

Lasting Impact 

There were moments of pride and urgency. After the devastating 2019 flood, the City was able to use our documentation to prove that damaged infrastructure had been in good condition prior to the event—critical evidence that helped secure FEMA reimbursement. In other cases, field teams discovered failing manholes just in time to prevent accidents, coning off dangerous areas and alerting city crews before disaster arose. 

The approach developed to help the City of Tulsa became a model for efficient, data-driven infrastructure management that has been used to assist other clients throughout the state of Oklahoma and beyond.  

And there were memorable moments too—some humorous, some heartwarming. “We found everything from rats and roaches,” Jason recalled. “We even had to report a few unexpected items to the police. You never know what you’ll find underground.” 

Ace Pipe Cleaning has been a standout partner throughout the project, providing reliable CCTV inspection services and helping WSB deliver high-quality data to the city.  

Quiet Work, Big Results 

This project wasn’t flashy. Most of the community didn’t even know it was happening. But it made their roads safer, helped the city recover from disaster, and laid the groundwork for smarter infrastructure planning. That’s impact. 

As WSB celebrates 30 years of service, the Tulsa Storm Sewer Assessment Program continues to stand as a testament to the power of quiet innovation, long-term partnership, and the kind of work that truly shapes communities—even when it’s happening underground.