The Stormwater Issue | The Stormwater Utility | Dedicated Funding Source |
Stormwater User Fee Billing Method | Stormwater Management
THE STORMWATER ISSUE
South Florida averages 60 inches of rainfall per year. That rainfall has a well documented cleansing effect .... washing away dirt, debris and manmade pollutants such as oil, grease, heavy metals, fertilizers, and pesticides. Since streets, buildings, sidewalks, and parking lots cover the soil in our urban environment today, a large percentage of the rainfall becomes stormwater runoff. This runoff transports the pollutants into our lakes, canals, and Biscayne Bay. Flooding and drainage problems have also increased due to the increased amounts of impervious area.
In 1987, the environmental impact of stormwater runoff became a national issue when Congress re-authorized the Clean Water Act. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was required to institute a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting program for urban drainage systems that discharge to the waters of the United States. Cities, like Hialeah, must meet NPDES permit requirements.
The old concept of stormwater being only a flooding and drainage issue no longer stands.
Stormwater is now recognized as a major contributor of pollutants to the surface waters of our nation.
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THE STORMWATER UTILITY
The State of Florida authorized local governments to create Stormwater Utilities in recognition of the need to develop and fund comprehensive stormwater management programs that would meet the federal and pending State mandates.
In 1991, Metropolitan Dade County created a county-wide Stormwater Utility under its Home Rule Charter by passage of County Ordinance 91-66. All cities were either required to join the County program or create their own, subject to County approval. The City of Hialeah joined the County Utility in 1993. The City retained the right to administer, staff, and manage the Utility within the City limits. This approach insured that local needs where fully addressed and all funds stayed within the City.
The City of Hialeah inacted its own Stormwater Utility Ordinance in 1998 and withdrew from the county utility. The City's program continues as it did before with no change to previous operations.
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DEDICATED FUNDING SOURCE
The original Dade County ordinance allows the assessment of a Stormwater User Fee on all developed property within the County. The revenues acquired through this process may only be used to support public stormwater management programs. The City retained this Stormwater User Fee approach in its new stormwater utility ordinance. Stormwater management on private property is not a part of this funding mechanism.
Specifically, this dedicated source of funding must be used to plan, construct, operate, maintain, and administer stormwater management systems in accordance with Florida Statutes.
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STORMWATER USER FEE BILLING METHOD
The user fee is assessed on a monthly fee basis. It is not a tax. Residential property is billed according to the number of residential dwelling units on the property. Each dwelling unit is assigned one Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU), a statistical value for the average impervious area of one dwelling unit. In Hialeah, one ERU = 1664 sq. ft. of impervious area. Nonresidential property is billed according to the amount of impervious area on an ERU basis. The current rate is $2.50 per ERU per month.
The Stormwater User Fee = $2.50 x ERU's per month.
Note: A majority of the properties receive bi-monthly billing for this fee. Only a few very large Water and Sewer customers pay the stormwater fee on a monthly basis.
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STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
Historically, flooding has been a major problem in the City because of the area's low ground elevation and high average annual groundwater table. The Utility is developing a City-wide Stormwater Master Plan to address these conditions in a comprehensive manner.
New projects and existing system modifications will provide better property protection from flood damage, street drainage, and reduce stormwater pollution of our surface waters.
Another advantage to the Stormwater Utility approach is that it allows the City to cooperatively implement and construct stormwater management projects with State and federal agencies. This dedicated source of funding makes cost sharing feasible.
For further information, please call the Utility at 305-687-2611, or write to:
Hialeah Stormwater Utility
Streets Division
P.O. Box 40
Hialeah, Florida 33010
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