Stormwater

About the Stormwater Utility

On January 4, 2022, the Seguin City Council approved an ordinance to create a Stormwater Utility with a rate of $3 per month per ERU (Equivalent Residential Unit). This fee is similar to other utility fees for electricity, water, sewer, and garbage. ** Fees generated from the monthly rate, effective as of January 1, 2023, will help the City of Seguin to develop, operate and fund a stormwater management program. 

Seguin is experiencing rapid growth. Projected population increases, coupled with a drainage system that is decades old, presents new challenges and increased needs in order to control flooding and its impacts. The Stormwater Utility will focus on:

  • Drainage Improvement Projects
  • Storm System Maintenance & Repairs
  • Floodplain Management
  • Cleaning of Pipes/Ditches
  • Water Quality Protection & Improvement
  • Compliance with State & Federal Regulations

Why is this needed?

Stormwater pipes, catch basins, and related infrastructure deteriorate over time, impairing their ability to convey stormwater, threatening property and causing flooding and road closures. To address these drainage problems and comply with state and federal regulations, many cities develop and implement comprehensive stormwater management programs funded by a stormwater utility user fee. Maintenance and repairs to this infrastructure is very costly. The Stormwater Utility Rate is a more equitable way to fund stormwater systems, and this dedicated funding source will help the City of Seguin better maintain a functional system. Benefits of a Stormwater Utility

Who will pay the fee?

All property owners in the Seguin city limits, both residential and commercial, will pay the monthly rate. State agencies, public or private institutions of higher education are exempt from the fee. 

How is the fee determined?

The Storm Water Utility Fee is based on the amount of impervious surface on each property and is developed using an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU). Each ERU is equivalent to 2,500 square feet of impervious area. The city uses digitized aerial photography to measure impervious (hard surface) areas of every developed parcel. Non-residential fees are based on the amount of hard surface area on the property.  Hard surface area include rooftops, garages, patios, buildings, sidewalks, driveways and parking lots.  

How much will I have to pay?

Residential customers will pay a fee of $3 per month x 12 months = $36 per year.

Non-residential includes multi-family properties, offices, institutions, manufacturing/industrial facilities and churches. Hard surface area will be divided by the standard Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) of 2,500 square feet to determine the number of billing units on the property. The number of billing units then will be multiplied by the standard ERU rate of $3.

For example, the fee for a commercial property with a total hard surface area of 30,000 square feet will be $36 monthly, calculated as follows:

30,000 square feet ÷ 2,500 square feet/ERU = 12 billing units

12 billing units x $3 per month/ERU = $36 per month x 12 months = $432 per year.

View impervious cover interactive map to find and calculate your stormwater utility rate.

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