| East Moline Stormwater Utility
Stormwater Utility improvements are required for many reasons, including:
Repairs to the City's deteriorated levee system so that the levees may be acceptably certified to FEMA and maintain their 100-year flood protection rating.
Improvements to deteriorated ravine drainage structures caused by erosion.
Repair or replace collapsing and/or aging culverts, storm sewers, inlets, detention facilities, check dams, control structures, and other drainage infrastructure.
The City must comply with newly mandated and unfunded Federal and State regulations regarding the amount and quality of stormwater that can be discharged into rivers and streams. This program's intent is to reduce discharge of pollutants from the storm sewer system, protect all tributaries, and improve water quality.
The projected cost of repairs and improvements will be millions of dollars.
Why is the Stormwater
utility fee needed?In order to meet new, federally-mandated regulations for discharging stormwater and pay for the associated stormwater infrastructure costs, the City of East Moline has implemented a stormwater fee rather than raise property taxes or cut services. A survey of East Moline's existing stormwater infrastructure found them in disrepair and in need of significant repairs
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City of East Moline, IL
If you have any questions about the
City's Stormwater utility, please contact:
City of East Moline
Engineering Department
1200 13th Avenue
East Moline, Illinois 61244
Phone: 309.752.1595
Fax: 309.752.0634
www.eastmoline.com
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City of East Moline
Stormwater Utility
April 2009
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What is stormwater?Stormwater is the runoff that results from precipitation. As this water flows over construction sites, farm fields, lawns, driveways, parking lots, and streets, it picks up sediment, nutrients, bacteria, metals, pesticides, and other pollutants. Unlike sanitary sewers that go to a treatment plant, most stormwater discharges directly to local water bodies. Increasing amounts of impervious surfaces in the City, such as roof tops, driveways, parking lots, and streets, decrease the ability of the water to soak into the ground, thus increasing the potential for flooding from greater volumes of runoff entering the city's storm sewer and drainage system at a faster rate.
Why does stormwater have to be managed?Stormwater is managed to protect homes, property, the environment, streams, and rivers from damage due to flooding, pooling, erosion and harmful pollutants. Stormwater runoff must be channeled through a system of pipes, culverts, ditches, swales, catch basins, and storm drains before it can be safely discharged into local streams and rivers. Even if a property has never flooded, the stormwater that flows off that property must be managed so that it doesn't contribute to flooding in other areas.
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NeedThe Clean Water Act (CWA) was enacted by Congress and signed by the President to establish environmental programs, including the NPDES program, to protect the Nation's waters and direct EPA to issue rules on to how implement this law. Many municipalities across the nation are now required to obtain a NPDES Permit and abide by rules, regulations, and standards to monitor runoff that enters the Storm Sewers. As part of the NPDES permit, programs must be established for public education and outreach, public involvement and participation, public education and outreach, illicit discharge detection elimination, construction site runoff control, post-construction runoff control, and pollution prevention and good housekeeping. The programs listed above are federally mandated, however, federal funding is not available for their implementation. It is up to each individual municipality to secure funding.
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Who pays the Stormwater Utility fee?The stormwater utility is a user-fee, much like the fee that you pay for your water or wastewater service. All property owners must share in the cost of the stormwater program. This includes residents, businesses, institutions, and industry.
How is the Stormwater Utility charge calculated?The stormwater charges will be calculated based on the amount of a property's impervious area which can be measured and is a reasonably objective means to determine stormwater runoff. Impervious area is the area that prevents or impedes storm water to soak into the soil. Impervious areas include rooftops, driveways, sidewalks and parking lots.
Homeowners: 3-Tiered Structure
1 Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU)
= 2,200 sq. ft. of impervious surface
Current Rate = $2.33/month (minimum)
Small Parcel (under ¼ acre) =1 ERU =
$2.32/month
Medium Parcel ( ¼ - ½ acre) = 1.75 ERUs =
$4.06/month
Large Parcel ( ½ -2 acres) = 2.5 ERUs =
$5. 80/month
Other Properties = $2.32 x # ERUs
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