What Is Stormwater?

Stormwater is rainwater or snow-melt that runs off of impervious surfaces such as rooftops, paved streets, driveways, and parking lots. As stormwater flows over these impervious surfaces it can collect pollutants such as sediment, trash, chemicals, oils, soaps, pet waste, and fertilizers. Stormwater is not treated or cleaned before it empties directly into local streams, creeks, and lakes that are used for fishing, swimming, and providing our drinking water. Pollutants entering creeks and lakes can have negative effects on human health, increase treatment costs, and result in loss of wildlife diversity in and around the waterbody.

Stormwater Drainage Fees

Users pay a monthly fee that for maintenance and improvements to the stormwater drainage system, as well as other stormwater program activities. This fee is similar to other utility fees for water, sewer, and garbage.

          View the Schedule of Utility Rates and Fees

What Are Illicit Discharges?

Any discharge into the stormwater drainage network that is not entirely composed of stormwater is an illicit discharge. Examples of an illicit discharge are motor oils, yard clippings, sediment, sewage, chemicals, fertilizers, and used water from carpet cleaning, car washing, and pressure washing. Swimming pools being drained when the water has not been first un-chlorinated is another example of an illicit discharge. Illicit discharges can cause local waterbodies to become cloudy, cause an increase in nutrients and bacteria, and raise the cost of the water treatment process. Eliminating illicit discharges is an important step in protecting local waterbodies, and ultimately, your drinking water. 

          Report an Illicit Discharge

What Are BMPs?

Best Management Practices (BMPs) are schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance procedures, structural controls, local ordinances, and other management practices designed to prevent or reduce the discharge of pollutants. BMPs also include treatment requirements, operating procedures, and practices to control runoff, spills or leaks, waste disposal, or drainage from raw material storage areas. Construction sites are required to utilize BMPs in order to minimize the amount of displaced sediment and debris reaching the stormwater drainage network. 

• Post Development Stormwater Ordinance 11-069
• Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance 11-070

Stormwater Management Plan

Copies of the TPDES General Permit and records of all data used to complete the application (NOI) for this general permit and satisfy the public participation requirements for this general permit are retained at the Public Works Department. 

• Stormwater Management Plan (General Permit TXR040000 & Annual Reports)

Additional Educational Resouces:

• NCTCOG Pollution Prevention Resources  
• US EPA YouTube Channel