What is a stormwater utility fee?

The stormwater utility fee is similar to a water or sewer fee. In essence, customers pay a fee to convey stormwater from their properties. The utility is the result of unfunded United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) mandates that force cities like St. Clair Shores to manage stormwater within their jurisdiction. The fee is used to finance annual compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting standards. The NPDES is the compliance system for the Clean Water Act (CWA) and requires that all stormwater discharges that enter waters of the United States must meet minimum federal water quality requirements.

 

Show All Answers

1. What is a stormwater utility fee?
2. Why is stormwater run-off a problem?
3. Why should I have to pay for rain falling on my property
4. Why did the city stop charging a stormwater fee and but now is charging a new fee?
5. Why is this fee higher than the fee that was previously charged?
6. What is my stormwater fee based upon?
7. What is considered "Impervious" or "Pervious"?
8. How were the impervious surfaces measured on my property?
9. Are roads and public rights-of-way charged the stormwater utility fee?
10. What does the stormwater program do?
11. How accurate are the impervious are analysis images that can be found online?
12. What credits are available to residential property owners?
13. What if I was overcharged or I successfully appealed the measured impervious area?