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1. What is stormwater?

Stormwater is water from rain or melting snow that doesn't soak into the ground but runs off into waterways. It flows from rooftops, over paved areas and bare soil, and through sloped lawns while picking up a variety of materials on its way. The quality of runoff is affected by a variety of factors and depends on the season, local meteorology, geography and upon activities which lie in the path of the flow. (More information about stormwater is available from the state Department of Environmental Conservation at http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8468.html.) In Ithaca, all stormwater (and any pollutants carried by stormwater) is discharged to Cayuga Lake and its tributaries.

2. Why do we need to worry about stormwater?

The City is recognized for its beautiful natural areas, including the presence of Cayuga Lake, gorges, streams, and inlets, and the many hills that send runoff into the City. While residents and visitors alike enjoy this geography, it makes stormwater management both especially important and difficult. For example, flood control (including issues such as the ice jams of January 2014 and the Flood Control Channel dredging that the City has been pursuing for years) is a major stormwater management issue in the City. As a result, each year the City spends the better part of a million dollars on stormwater-related expenses, such as construction and maintenance of storm sewers and channeled streams, environmental management, and regulatory compliance.

As it flows, stormwater runoff collects and transports pollutants to surface waters. Although the amount of pollutants from a single residential, commercial, industrial or construction site may seem unimportant, the combined concentrations of contaminants threaten our lakes, rivers, wetlands and other water bodies. Pollution conveyed by stormwater degrades the quality of drinking water, damages fisheries and habitat of plants and animals that depend on clean water for survival. Pollutants carried by stormwater can also affect recreational uses of water bodies by making them unsafe for wading, swimming, boating and fishing. According to an inventory conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), half of the impaired waterways are affected by urban/suburban and construction sources of stormwater runoff. (http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8468.html.)

3. Why do I have to pay a stormwater user fee?

By installing or maintaining impervious surface areas such as rooftops, driveways, and parking areas on a property, the property owner chooses to send additional stormwater into the City’s stormwater infrastructure. As a result, the City has to maintain infrastructure and provide other services to ensure that the stormwater is handled appropriately. The stormwater user fee is similar to fees paid for water and sewer service, trash tags, or electricity, in that it is based on the amount of stormwater your property creates: all developed land in the City, whether it is owned by government, a business entity, non-profit organization, or an individual, is billed based on the amount of impervious surface area on the property.