FAQs

Stormwater Fees

• I am not connected to City utilities, so why do I receive a stormwater bill?

  Stormwater assessments are based on the presence of impervious surface at your property, not on a utility service. Unless all structures and impervious surface on a property are demolished, stormwater fees are assessed to the property owner of record.

• What are stormwater fees?

  Stormwater fees are assessments on your bill to help cover the cost of federally-mandated treatment of water runoff. Due to population size, in 2005 the City became large enough to be subject to requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Water Act for the treatment of stormwater runoff.

• Why do I have to pay this?

  Each building in the city impacts the ability for water to be absorbed by the ground, instead directing this water as runoff into storm drains, ditches, culverts, etc. All properties in the city with an existing structure or non-permeable surface such as paving fall into this category. Stormwater fees also help cover the cost of street cleaning and upkeep as well as the maintenance of the storm drainage system itself.