New Stormwater Fee Coming to Your January 2027 Utility Bill

Starting with your January 2027 utility bill, you will see a new line item: Stormwater

Why do we need this fee?

When rain falls on roofs, driveways, and streets, it can’t soak into the ground. It runs into inlets, pipes, ditches, and ponds that keep water away from homes and businesses. That system needs steady care: clearing clogged pipes, cleaning ditches, maintaining storm basins, and sweeping streets so drains don’t plug up.

The fee gives the city a dependable way to pay for that work. It is fair, too: every property that sends water into the system helps pay to keep it working.

How much will it cost?

For a home, that is $3.00 a month, or $36 a year. Renters pay the residential rate (owners pay if a rental property is empty). Apartment buildings with three or more units pay the commercial rate as one property. Businesses are rated by their “impervious” area, meaning hard surfaces like roofs and parking lots that water can’t soak through.

Where does the money go?

Into a special fund that can be used only for stormwater needs, such as drains, pipes, ditches, and ponds. It cannot be spent on other City costs.

We know every dollar matters to families and small businesses, which is why the rates are kept low. Keeping our drainage system in good shape now helps avoid bigger, more costly problems later. Questions? Please contact City Hall.