Stormwater Utility

In 1990, the U.S. EPA created the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Program to address the concerns with stormwater pollution. In Minnesota, the program is administered by the MPCA. This program requires approximately 300 cities, townships, counties, watershed districts, and large campuses such as universities, hospitals and prison complexes that operate their own private roads and stormwater drainage systems to comply with the MS4 program.

MS4 permittees are required to develop stormwater pollution prevention programs (SWPPP), educate the public about stormwater pollution, and engage citizens in solving local water pollution problems. The six categories of required action, known as minimum control measures, include:

Public education and outreach;
Public Participation and Involvement;
Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination ( illegal dumping into storm sewers and ditches);
Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control;
Post Construction Stormwater Management; and
Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping [ in municipal operations such as parks maintenance and public works].

The permit addresses concerns such as winter salt storage, construction site erosion and sediment control, and runoff from new development. Every five (5) years, the MPCA requires the permittees to renew their permit and make updates to their stormwater programs to remain in compliance.

Medina’s Stormwater Utility

Why must we manage stormwater?

The Storm Water Utility is an independent City fund devoted to managing Medina’s storm water issues. Monies in this fund cannot be used for other purposes, similar to the management of the City’s existing water and sewer utility funds. The City of Medina administers, operates, and maintains a stormwater management program meant to:

Preserve valuable natural resources
Protect people and property
Reduce nuisance flooding
Improve water quality

Medina’s Stormwater Utility Billing

The purpose for creating the stormwater utility (SWU) is to provide an alternative source of funding from general property taxes to support stormwater mandates and needs. Stormwater mandates include the improvement to local impaired bodies of water (Lake Independence, Lake Sarah, Spurzem Lake, Holy Name Lake, Elm Creek, etc.) as well as the City’s Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (SWPPP). Other needs include annual maintenance to City stormwater ponds, culverts, erosion control and general enforcement. The stormwater utility (SWU) was officially established into City Code 745(PDF, 13KB) by the City Council on May 20, 2008.

For property owners who receive a water and sewer utility bill, a new line item for the stormwater utility charge has been included on your monthly bill. Property owners who do not have water and sewer will receive an annual bill.

The SWU will more equitably distribute charges for stormwater improvements to property owners compared to general property taxes because the focus of a SWU is to better charge those who are contributing to stormwater problems, rather than through property taxes which is based on your market value. Non-tax paying entities such as governments, churches, etc. will receive a SWU charge and bill. Some exemptions for parks, etc. and credits for wetland areas, as well as suitable conservation and buffer easements will apply.

Purpose of the Utility Fee

Increased competition for City funding necessitates the need for a stormwater utility to provide an equitable, dedicated funding source for stormwater management services, including:

State stormwater permit compliance
Implementation activities to address impairments of waters in and around Medina
Water quality improvements
Stormwater system upgrades
General stormwater system maintenance

Determining Fees

The fee for each parcel is based on the square footage and the number of units on the parcel. All parcels have been assigned a certain number of Residential Equivalency Factors (REFs). One REF represents the amount of runoff from a typical single family residential parcel. The assignment of REFs for some existing land use types is as follows:

Agriculture – 1 REF/10 acre1 round down to whole REF2
Commercial – 6.4 REFs/acre1
Industrial – 6.4 REFs/acre1
Multi-Family Residential – 5.3 REFs/acre1
Rural Residential – 1 REF/10 acre1 round down to whole REF2
Single Family Residential – 1 REF per parcel
Undeveloped Land – 1 REF/10 acre1 round down to whole REF2

1 Billable acreage = parcel area minus wetland area

2 Minimum of 1 REF per parcel

Calculating the Costs?

In 2018, the total number of REFs City-wide = 6,768. Estimated storm water utility budget = $205,150. Annual cost per REF = $30.31. Monthly cost per REF = $2.53.

Financing a Stormwater Management Program

A stormwater program is funded by a service charge or utility fee
Augments existing funding sources
An equitable distribution of stormwater management system costs, based on the premise of “contributors pay”
Fee varies by the amount of stormwater runoff generated by a particular parcel

5 Household Habits to Prevent Stormwater Pollution.png

Stormwater Projects, Reports, and Presentations

Click the links below to view some of the successful stormwater projects completed in Medina:

The Stormwater Article also provides some background and a few examples of where funds have been spent to provide a better understanding on the need for the stormwater utility fee.

Click the links below to view previous year reports and presentations:

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) Report

Suspect an Illicit Discharge? Report It!

An ILLICIT DISCHARGE is any discharge of pollutants or non-storm water materials allowed to enter the storm sewer system from overland flows or direct dumping of materials into a catch basin.

We want clean water for all different kinds of activities like fishing, boating, and swimming. Proper care, monitoring, and management of illicit discharges are essential to the future health of our local bodies of water. Illicit discharges can occur in ditches, storm water drains, even runoff from new development, and end up draining into the Elm Creek Watershed, and then flow into our local bodies of water. Anything other than rain has the potential to be an illicit discharge. It's important we are aware of what illicit discharges look like and report suspected illicit discharges to the proper authority.

Our community and residents can participate in keeping our storm water systems clean by being on the lookout for illicit discharges such as:

Concrete or paint washed out in street (most common)
Runoff such as grass clippings into storm water drains
Chemical dumping into storm water drains
Sediment track-out (water or other discharge) from construction site
Water rerouting from an existing water pond or other source
Storm water pond filled with dirt or other filler
Toxic material being drained into a ditch or storm water pond
Still unsure? Watch the 4-minute video: https://youtu.be/Y6uWvOlaP44 produced by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on IDDE with examples.

If you notice any of the above examples, or a situation that may be an illicit discharge, please report it immediately by calling Public Works at 763-473-8842 or follow the link below to submit electronically:

Click HERE to report an Illicit Discharge(PDF, 124KB)

The information you provide will be confidential.

Annual City-Wide Clean-Up Day Event - Last Saturday in April

Compliant with Minn. R. 7090 and Medina’s MS4 Stormwater permit, each year, on the last Saturday in April, Public Works sponsors a City-wide clean-up day event.

The City of Medina subsidizes the cost associated with the removal of items typically dropped off at landfills; offering residents a great opportunity to declutter and rid themselves of old appliances, electronics, tires, and other items at a reduced cost.

More information on what materials are accepted, fees, hours, and other offerings (i.e. free document shredding, subsidized tree sale, drug take-back, free lunch) will be posted on this website prior to the event. The event is financially supported by the City Clean-Up Day Fund and payments from attendees.

Hennepin County accepts many of the materials year-round at its Drop-Off Facilities and various events throughout the year. Check Hennepin County’s Green Disposal Guide for more local disposal and reuse options.

Hennepin County hosts Hazardous Waste collection events from spring to fall at various locations across the county. For more information, including a list of accepted items, visit hennepin.us/collectionevents.

Street Sweeping

Purpose

Regular sweeping of streets and municipally owned parking lots is important for maintaining clean and safe roadways. It also plays a vital role in keeping pollutants like sand, trash, and leaves out of the MS4.

Timing

Spring sweeping of snow and ice control aggregate begins when the streets are significantly clear of snow and ice, usually late March or early April, after the risk of later snowfall has passed. Fall sweeping commences after most of the leaves have fallen. Storm water quality areas are swept on a priority basis twice (minimally) per year. Other environmental / general sweeping is performed on a routine or as-needed basis.

Important Reminder - City Code No. 747(PDF, 44KB) prohibits any disposal of grass, leaves, dirt, or landscape material into the street.