Engineering Department - Stormwater Management

Stormwater Ordinance & Fee Assessment

Ordinance No. 5058

This Ordinance was created in 1991 to establish stormwater management as a city utility. All developed property shall be levied to provide for the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, regulation, surveying, and inspection of the stormwater management facilities around the city.

The monthly fee for each residential property shall be:

• Single family: 1 ERU
• Duplex Units: 1 ERU
• Condominium Units: 1 ERU
• Apartments 1 ERU
• Mobile Homes 1 ERU

Non-residential shall be charged on the basis of the impervious area of the property in accordance with the following formula:

Total amount of impervious area (Sq. Feet) divided by 1830 (Sq. Feet).

A minimum value of 1.0 ERU shall be assigned to each non-residential property. ERU's shall be rounded to the nearest tenth (0.1) of a unit.

ERU -

(Equivalent residential unit) shall mean the statistical average impervious area for residential parcels within the city. The numerical value of one ERU shall be 1830 square feet of impervious area

Impervious Area -

means that a part of any parcel of land that has been modified in a manner which results in the reduction of the land's natural ability to absorb and hold rainfall, including but not limiting any area which has been paved, graveled or compacted, or covered with a structure. The term excludes uncovered areas such as lawns, landscape areas, gardens, farming areas or stormwater pond areas

How the Stormwater Utility Fee is Assessed

Developed properties within the City that receive a utility bill are billed a flat, monthly stormwater utility fee for each equivalent residential unit (ERU) of impervious area.  Impervious area is considered to be the footprint of buildings and pavement which does not allow rain water to penetrate the earth and which therefore contributes to stormwater runoff.  When the City began its stormwater utility program in the early 1990’s the City Engineering Department determined that the typical single family home lot in the City of Clearwater contained 1,830 square feet of impervious area. (1830 square feet = 1 ERU). The current charge is $11.80 per month for most single family residential dwelling units.  Fees for nonresidential properties are charged on the basis of the actual number of ERUs of impervious area contained within the property footprint, as determined by the City Engineering Department. Undeveloped properties are not charged the stormwater utility fee.