Stormwater Management Program

Overview As a result of increasing federal and state clean water regulations, cities across the country have developed or are developing comprehensive stormwater management programs. The increased emphasis from the state and federal government on effectively managing stormwater will benefit local residents in numerous ways. However, the increased costs associated with complying with these more stringent stormwater regulations will result in increased costs for cities. Faced with these increasing costs, many cities across the country have already sought to increase revenues either through traditional taxes, or more commonly through stormwater management fees that are assessed regularly to property owners. Since 2003, the Town of Normal has been exploring various program alternatives that would satisfy the clean water mandates from the state and federal governments. The Town’s goal is to provide current and future residents with an effective long-term stormwater management program that will produce tangible results at a minimal cost to property owners. The frequently asked questions listed below are intended to provide all pertinent information about Normal’s stormwater management program. If you have a question that is not covered below or if you would like to share your thoughts on the program, please utilize the feedback form provided below or you may also call the Town of Normal Stormwater Hotline at 433-3403.

The stormwater management program will provide funding for drainage system maintenance and repairs. Channels such as this one pictured above do not operate efficiently due to years of erosion caused from stormwater runoff. Erosion of stream banks occurs slowly over time and leads to major maintenance issues and also detracts from the aesthetics of the local waterways. The stormwater management program will help prevent such erosion and will provide a funding source for the repair of eroded stream banks.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Ongoing maintenance of stormwater infrastructure, such as detention ponds, requires significant labor, materials, and equipment

   What is stormwater and how is stormwater currently managed in Normal?

   Stormwater includes rainfall, snow melt, and all other forms of precipitation that flows off of driveways, parking lots, roofs and other hard surfaces into the local drainage system. The drainage system includes sewers, ditches, culverts, streams and roadside swales that carry stormwater away from roads and private property. Maintenance on the drainage system includes work on the sewers themselves as well as general upkeep on creeks, streams, ditches, culverts and other components of the drainage system.
    

2. Why is the Town creating a stormwater management program?
   
   The Town’s new stormwater management program addresses increasingly stringent stormwater regulations that were created by the federal Environmental Protection Agency and subsequently adopted by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The Town of Normal must meet the stormwater permitting requirements set forth by these entities. It is the Town’s goal not only to meet these new permitting requirements, but to also provide current and future residents with a stormwater management program that will protect our drainage infrastructure, improve the efficiency of the overall drainage system and ultimately enhance the local environment. Infrastructure refers to the physical components of the drainage system, such as pipes, stream banks and detention ponds.
    
3. What is NPDES?
   
   NPDES stands for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, which is a permit program administered by individual states that controls water pollution by regulating point sources (e.g. pipes and manmade ditches) that discharge pollutants into public bodies of water. NPDES permitting regulations have become more stringent over the years, thus forcing cities to expand stormwater management programs.
    

4. Erosion caused by polluted stormwater often necessitates the frequent replacement and repair of drainage system infrastructure.

   Where can I find more information about the federal and state regulations that Normal is attempting to satisfy with its stormwater management program?
   
   The United States Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, are both great sources of information on stormwater management requirements. You can visit their websites at:
   http://www.epa.gov/ and http://www.epa.state.il.us/
    

5. Contaminants carried in stormwater runoff will over time erode property, such as the parking lot and drainage infrastructure pictured above.

   What kind of stormwater quality problems currently exist in Normal?

   The primary problem that Normal is attempting to address with the stormwater management program deals with contaminants that are deposited into our drainage system by stormwater runoff. These contaminants (a common example is yard fertilizers), ultimately accelerate the erosion of our drainage system infrastructure. Infrastructure refers to the physical components of the drainage system, such as pipes, stream banks and detention ponds. Erosion of our pipes, streams, detention basins, culverts and other components of the drainage system ultimately decrease the effectiveness of our drainage system and leads to costly system maintenance issues.
    

6. Stormwater struggles to flow through this severely eroded waterway. The grassy blockages occur over time because of contaminants that are carried in stormwater that passes through the drainage system.

   How does the stormwater management program benefit property owners?

   All property owners will benefit from the new stormwater management program. The program will lead to improved stormwater quality that travels through our local drainage system. The program will also fund important drainage system improvements. Both of these issues will help increase the efficiency of the Town’s stormwater drainage system. It will also help protect and preserve the quality and aesthetics of our local environment.
    

7. In 2007, the Town will offer an overhead sewer system grant program to eligible property owners. Installing overhead sewers requires a retrofit of the sewer piping in the basement, including the installation of a pumping system. This helps to block surcharge from the Town’s sewer and prevents basement flooding.

   Are there any individualized benefits such as grant programs that may benefit property owners?

   Some individual property owners will be eligible for the overhead sewer service grant program that will be funded under the stormwater management program. Overhead sewer services are effective in remedying the frequent flooding of basements. Persons interested in learning more about this grant program should contact the Town of Normal Stormwater Hotline at 433-3403. It is expected that this grant program will be offered to residents beginning in 2007.
    

8. How will the stormwater management plan be funded?
   
   The Town undertook an extensive study to determine the most appropriate and equitable way to fund the stormwater management program. The program is funded through a stormwater utility. The fee is assessed to all property owners in Normal. Fees are determined based on the amount of hard surfaced areas (e.g. driveways, parking lots, building roofs, etc.) located on a specific property. Therefore, a property with a large building and parking lot is assessed a proportionally higher fee than a standard single family home.
   
   The stormwater fee is charged on the Town’s bi-monthly utility billing system that is currently established for water, sewer and waste services. The standard monthly fee for a single family home is $4.60 a month. Larger properties are charged a proportionally higher rate based on the amount of hard surfaced area located on the property. Click here to see where the stormwater charge will appear on your bi-monthly utility bill.
    

9. Stormwater runoff near this bridge is beginning to cause damage to the fencing that protects pedestrians. The stormwater management program will help fund efforts to restore the integrity of some local pedestrian bridges.

   When can I expect to see the first stormwater fee that will be charged to my property?

   The stormwater fee is effective as of July 1, 2006. Therefore property owners will begin to see stormwater charges appear on bills mailed after the July 1, 2006 effective date.
    

10. Do all property owners have to pay a stormwater management fee?
    
    Yes. The stormwater management fee is assessed to all property owners in the Town of Normal. This includes government entities, churches, businesses, non-profit agencies and all other property owners. Credits are available for certain property owners that take steps to manage and treat stormwater on their individual properties. Information on the credit program is included in question number 14.
     
11. My property uses well water with a septic system. Will I have to pay the stormwater management fee?
    
    Yes. This will be an entirely separate fee from water/sewer charges. This stormwater management fee helps fund drainage system improvements; operation and maintenance of the stormwater conveyance system and new federal and state water quality regulations and does not address sanitary sewers or city water lines.
     

12. Erosion of this waterway not only reduces the effectiveness of the local drainage system, but it also detracts from the visual appeal of the property.

    All of the storm water in my neighborhood drains into a retention pond. Why do I have to still pay the stormwater management fee?

    While in the short term stormwater does collect in the retention pond, the Town of Normal provides an outlet for the basin. Although the basin collects and detains water, the storage provided is only temporary. Eventually, all of the stormwater collected in the basin must drain out. Therefore, the drainage infrastructure (storm sewers, ditches, culverts) the Town of Normal operates and maintains still carries the same volume of water as it would without the retention pond. Furthermore, many of the retention ponds in Normal are publicly owned and maintained by the Town of Normal.
     

13. What programs or projects will be funded by the stormwater management program?

    The stormwater management program will fund a number of different projects including street sweeping, detention basin maintenance, storm sewer repair, and creek bed maintenance. The Town is responsible for maintaining 14.3 miles of creek system as well as 7 regional detention basins. The Town also maintains 53 bridges or major road culverts and 175 public storm sewer discharge structures into the creek system. The existing storm sewer system consists of 95 miles of sewer main with 1,300 manholes and 5,500 inlet structures. Capital improvement expenses associated with this infrastructure are eligible for funding through a storm water utility. The program will also include funds for an overhead sewer service grant program. Overhead sewer services are effective in remedying the frequent flooding of basements. Property owners may be eligible to receive financial assistance from the Town if they decide to install overhead sewer service systems. It is expected that this grant program will be made available to property owners beginning in 2007. Persons interested in learning more about this grant program should contact the Town of Normal Stormwater Hotline at 433-3403. The program will also fund three new positions in the Town of Normal. An engineering technician is required to coordinate the NPDES permit compliance efforts of the Town. Two sewer maintenance specialists are required to conduct inlet inspections and storm sewer cleaning in order to comply with NPDES requirements. As the Town’s stormwater management system grows and as the state and federal regulations become more stringent, the Town anticipates that more personnel may be required in the future.

    This stream channel located south of Vernon Avenue (North Branch Sugar Creek) is severely eroded. Normal’s stormwater management program will fund repairs and regular maintenance this and other drainage channels, which will ultimately increase the efficiency of the overall drainage network. Many of the Town’s existing channels are severely eroded and need attention. Streambank stabilization, as shown above, will help to provide a visually-pleasing, natural drainage channel while protecting against future erosion.

14. Can property owners qualify for discounts or credits under this program?
    
    Yes. The Town of Normal has developed a system of credits for property owners who have facilities or controls in place to temporarily store or treat stormwater runoff. The credit program is designed to encourage property owners to take steps to reduce and treat the stormwater runoff directly attributable to their specific property. A property whose impact to the storm drainage system is significantly limited or has been effectively reduced through specific controls will be entitled to a credit adjustment applied to the storm water service charge. Two examples of such controls are on-site stormwater detention and natural stream buffer plantings that filter stormwater prior to it entering the drainage system.
    
    The stormwater credit manual and application forms are available here [PDF].
    
    Property owners interested in learning more about credits may contact the Town of Normal Stormwater Hotline at 433-3403. Applications for credit can be filed anytime after the first stormwater fee is assessed to the property. Once a credit is applied it will remain in effect indefinitely unless property modifications alter the controls that were initially credited.
     

15. The stormwater management program will provide funds for more frequent maintenance of our drainage system. This particular channel is not operating at a high level of efficiency due deposits that have been left behind by stormwater.

    Are there current instances of stormwater discharging into the sanitary sewer system?
    
    No. Currently there are no locations where stormwater from underground storm mains (pipes) flows into the Town’s sanitary sewer system.
     
16. Can property owners discharge their sump pumps into the sanitary sewer system?
    
    No. It is illegal to discharge sump pump systems into the Town’s sanitary sewer service. The stormwater management program will fund a sump pump discharge program to survey the Town’s sewer system and identify any illegal sump pump connections.
     
17. How do I report a stormwater drainage problem in my neighborhood?
    
    If a storm drain is not working properly and causes water to flood a roadway and adjacent area please call the Public Works Department at 454-9571.
     

18. Residents can prevent further erosion of this creek by not mowing the grass all the way down to the edge of the waterway. Increased vegetation near the edges of the drainage waterways helps to filter and reduce stormwater.

    What can property owners do to help prevent further erosion of the local drainage system?
    

    There are numerous simple steps property owners can take to help prevent erosion of the local drainage system. Residents should avoid dumping yard waste in or near the local waterways. Not only is this action illegal, but it also is very detrimental to the drainage system. Residents should also refrain from mowing to the edge of a waterway that may be adjacent to their property. Heavier vegetation at the edges of the waterway helps to reduce and filter stormwater runoff that ultimately accelerates erosion.
    

Questions & Comments

Yard waste that is dumped near waterways is extremely harmful to the local drainage system. This waste often blocks the flow of water and also contributes to the erosion of streams, pipes and other drainage infrastructure.

Please use the form below if you have additional questions or if you would like to share some comments on the Town’s stormwater management program. In order to receive a reply you must include your contact information including a phone number or email address.

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This page last modified 05/14/08.