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Stormwater Utility Fee

The Stormwater Utility dispute & appeals deadline is Sunday, October 20.

About the Stormwater Utility Fee

In 2024, the County moved to funding its stormwater management program through a Stormwater Utility fee. The utility fee replaced the sanitary district tax that customers had been paying since 2008.

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What To Expect

A Stormwater Utility is based on the amount of hard surfaces, or impervious area, on a property, which better correlates with stormwater runoff. As a result, it is fairer way to pay for the County’s Stormwater Management Program. The County is making this change now because the rise in severe flooding in recent years requires us to increase investments in our stormwater system.

There are different customer classes for the Stormwater Utility fee depending on the type of property you own. Explore more below.

Single-Family Homeowner

If you live in a single-family home, townhome, or duplex, your annual Stormwater Utility fee will be based on the amount of impervious area on your property. The fee will be included on your real estate bill as a separate line item. If you have a mortgage, your mortgage company will pay the fee as part of your escrow. If you are a renter, the fee will be paid by the property manager/owner and may be included in your rent.

Learn more about the different rate tiers for single-family residential homes.

Condominium / Multi-Family Unit Owner

Multi-family residential properties, including condominiums and apartments, will be billed a flat fee of 0.18 ERU per unit. If you own a condo, the fee will be included on your real estate bill as a separate line item. If you rent an apartment or condo, the fee will be paid by the property manager/owner and may be included in your rent.

Commercial Property Owner

Non-residential commercial properties will be charged the Stormwater Utility fee based on the amount of impervious area on each property, per ERU ($258 for Calendar Year 2024).

Tax-Exempt Organizations

Most places of worship, federal properties, and nonprofit and tax-exempt properties that were exempt from the sanitary district tax will not be exempt from the utility fee. The Stormwater Utility fee will be charged like other services provided by the County (e.g., water, sewer), which are not tax exempt.