City of Jacksonville Stormwater Utility Factsheet:

Your Monthly Stormwater Utility Fees Explained

What is a Stormwater Utility?

A Stormwater Utility is a funding mechanism to pay for the costs of providing stormwater management services.  The City of Jacksonville already has a utility to fund water, sewer and sanitation. For billing purposes, the stormwater program will use the same staff resources and billing systems to charge residents, based on thier property's impact on the stormwater system.

What is Stormwater?

Stormwater is the portion of rainfall that runs off your property and does not soak into the ground.  The stormwater is carried away through the City's drainage system into the local rivers and creeks.

Hard surfaces on your property, such as your house, garage, driveway, sidewalk, etc., keep the stormwater from soaking into the ground and create stormwater runoff. Under the new stormwater utility, the more stormwater runoff a property produces, the more a property owner is charged for stormwater management services.

Why is the City creating a Stormwater Utility?

The creation of this new utility enables the City to deliver a comprehensive stormwater management program to its citizens and to comply with new federal and state water quality regulations, without increasing property taxes.

Who is required to pay a Stormwater Utility fee?

Everyone who recieves a utility bill and / or owns developed property located within the Jacksonville city limits will be charged the monthly stormwater fee.

Why this method of funding?

Funding the stormwwater management program with a utility, instead of an increase in property tax, is a fairer and more equitable system, based on impact and use of the system.

How much will it cost?

Single-family residences will pay a monthly flat fee of ???. Other developed property owners, such as, businesses, industry, multi-family, and tax-exempt properties, will pay $4.00 per ERU per month for every 2,850 square feet of hard surface on thier property (area that prevents water from soaking into the ground).  All property owners with more than 2,850 square feet of hard surface will have their fees calculated as follows:

Hard Surface Area (sq. feet) x $4.00 per ERU = monthly fee
2,850 square feet

How will I pay my fee?

As of July 1, residents will be billed monthly on their normal utility bill. The Stormwater Utility charge will appear as a separate line item on the utility bill.

What should I do if my fee or the size of the impervious portion of my property has been miscalculated?

The fee is calculated based on the amount of impervious portion of your property. The City has information and aerial photographs on every property. Residents can request a "Stormwater Service Fee Review" form. If the fee is determined incorrect, the City will make the necessary adjustments to your account.