Stormwater Utility

Stormwater Service Charges

As of July 1, 2021, a new stormwater service charge fee schedule has been implemented. Stormwater service charges for non-residential property owners are based on the total amount of impervious surface on an individual lot or parcel.

The service charge for residential property owners will remain at $5.00 per month and the service charge for non-residential property owners are based on the Equivalent Residential Unit or ERU (one unit equals 3,000 square feet of impervious area).

Revenue generated by the stormwater service charge is used for managing stormwater within the corporate limits of the City. This includes operating and maintaining the City’s stormwater infrastructure, maintaining compliance with state and federal stormwater regulations, and improving water quality within the community.

2021 Stormwater Service Fee Schedule

Property Type

Stormwater Service Charge

Residential unit: detached single-family house, duplex, or a manufactured home or mobile home located on an individual lot or parcel of land rather than in a manufactured home park.

1 ERU ($5.00) per month

Other residential uses: , land upon which there are residential structures that contain more than two units, such as triplexes, townhouses, condominiums, apartments, boardinghouses

1 ERU ($5.00) per dwelling unit per month

Non-Residential: including but not limited to  churches; institutional buildings, whether public or private; commercial, office, and industrial buildings, including associated land containing improvements under construction or impervious surfaces that are not structures such as parking lots, private streets and driveways

1 ERU per 3000 SF Impervious area per month

Cap

Stormwater service charges shall be capped at a $250.00 per month for all non-residential parcels

Credit

Non-residential parcels with permitted stormwater control measures that are being properly maintained to ensure long term operation are eligible for a 50% reduction in monthly stormwater service charges.

*A Stormwater Service Charge Credit Application must be submitted to the Stormwater Administrator to receive a credit on monthly stormwater service charges.

**NOTE: Property owners are eligible for EITHER a cap or credit, NOT both the cap and credit.

Stormwater Service Charge Credit Application Fee

$50 per parcel

Caps and Credits

As part of the stormwater utility program, a cap or credit is available to non-residential property  owners to reduce their monthly stormwater service charge. Caps and Credits are not available to  residential property owners. Property owners are eligible for EITHER a cap or credit, NOT both the cap and credit.
A monthly cap of $250.00 will be placed on all non-residential properties. In order to qualify for a credit, property owners must install and maintain qualifying stormwater management features  on their property that help reduce stormwater runoff or improve stormwater quality. The stormwater management features must meet certain requirements for reducing the amount of stormwater and/or improving stormwater quality. A Stormwater Service Charge Credit Application must be submitted to the Stormwater Administrator to receive credit on a monthly stormwater service charge.

Stormwater Service Charge Credit Policy

Stormwater Service Charge Credit Application

New Fee Schedule 

Stormwater Utility FAQ Sheet

Who is billed for Stormwater?

Residential properties within the City of Hendersonville City Limits and ETJ are billed a flat stormwater service charge of $5.00 a month per dwelling unit. For non-Residential properties, including commercial businesses, non-profit organizations, churches, government buildings and other properties not used for residential purposes the service charge is based on the Equivalent Residential Unit or ERU (one ERU equals 3,000 square feet of impervious area).

Example: Property A has 9,000 SF of impervious area. 9000/ 1 ERU (3000 SF) = 3 ERUs X $5 = $15 per month.

Hasn't the City always had stormwater infrastructure?

The City has installed and maintained stormwater infrastructure within the City's Right-of-way for a long time. However, federal regulations requiring a comprehensive stormwater management program necessitate that the City take a more active role in managing stormwater. The utility fee enables the City to meet its responsibilities to maintain and improve the stormwater drainage system, plan for capital improvement projects, manage water quality, enforce stormwater regulations, and facilitate public awareness.

How is the stormwater service charge determined?

The service charge for residential property owners will remain at $5.00 per month per dwelling unit and the service charge for non-residential property owners will be based on the total impervious surface area on the property.

Impervious surface area is determined using aerial maps to quantify how much impervious surface is on your property. For new construction - we refer to the impervious area included on the site plan submittal.

The fee structure reflects the amount of runoff coming from each property. The more hard surface area on a property, the more stormwater flows to pipes and streams. The fee is set up so that properties that produce more runoff, pay a higher stormwater fee.

What is impervious surface area?

Impervious area is hard surface on a property that does not allow rain to soak into ground. This includes roofs, garages, carports, storage sheds, commercial buildings, driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, and patios.

I have a gravel driveway and no gutter drains that go to the street. Why do I have to pay for everyone else?

Gravel is an impervious surface. Like concrete or asphalt, it functions as a barrier to absorption and places a demand on the storm drainage infrastructure. This demand on the system is what the stormwater utility fee pays for. Anyone who uses city-maintained street benefits from a property functioning stormwater drainage system. Additionally, these users contribute to stormwater runoff issues in the form of pollution from cars, such as brake dust, gasoline and oil leaks, and stormwater runoff that is generated by the streets themselves.

Do I have to pay the stormwater fee if I have my own well and septic system?

Yes. The stormwater fee relates to the stormwater drainage system, which is completely separate from the water and sanitary sewer system. The stormwater utility fee helps fund the operation and maintenance of the City's stormwater management system as well as the Stormwater Program which benefit all of the residents of the City of Hendersonville.

Why does the City need to manage stormwater runoff?

Without proper stormwater management, rain events may result in flooding on roads and properties throughout the City, leading to property damage and dangerous road conditions. Stormwater runoff must be channeled through a system of pipes, ditches, catch basins, and storm drains before being safely discharged into local streams and rivers. Note that even if a specific property has never flooded, the stormwater that flows from the property still contributes to the overall flow and must be managed so that it does not cause flooding or damage to property downstream.

In addition to managing the quantity of stormwater runoff, the City is responsible for maintaining and improving water quality by reducing or eliminating pollution in stormwater runoff. The City of Hendersonville is a federally designated National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II community and operates under the authority of the Stormwater Management Program which became effective in August of 2007 after being drafted into the city's Code of Ordinances. NPDES Phase II is a federal and state-mandated program under the Clean Water Act to address non-point source pollution or stormwater runoff. The City's NPDES Permit consists of six management areas that reduce stormwater pollution and assures clean water is maintained in our city's water bodies:

  • Public Outreach and Education
  • Public Involvement
  • Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
  • Construction Site Runoff Control
  • Post-Construction Runoff Control
  • Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping

Why is a Stormwater Utility necessary?

Many areas in our community are subject to chronic flooding which impacts our residents’ quality of life and our businesses’ ability to operate without interruption. When severe flooding-related events occur,
they cause millions of dollars of damage to public and private property and require the use of City resources. The good news is that there are solutions to these problems, and the impact of these events can be lessened or eliminated over time if the resources necessary to address them are made available to the City.

Currently, the City relies on a flat monthly fee of $5.00 to fund the stormwater program and maintain the existing stormwater infrastructure. The updated fee will be calculated based on each property's impact on the stormwater system. Shifting to a stormwater utility system is designed to:

  • Create an equitable user fee system in which fees are based on the amount of impervious surface and stormwater generated per parcel.
  •  Provide a predictable and sustainable funding source to properly maintain the stormwater
    system.
  •  Increase awareness about the City’s stormwater management system. Many communities in the
    United States have opted for a stormwater utility to fund their stormwater programs.


Since every property generates runoff and benefits from the infrastructure in place, the utility model represents a fair method of collecting revenue from those who place a demand on the stormwater management system.

What will the money collected by the Stormwater Utility will be used to pay for?

The revenues generated by the stormwater service charge is used to fund all stormwater related services, which includes the City's Stormwater Management Program, enforcement of the City's stormwater ordinances, planning for future impacts, stormwater infrastructure maintenance and repairs within City owned right-of-way, and construction of necessary capital improvement projects. The fee also pays for annual compliance requirements of City's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (NPDES MS4) permit. For example, the stormwater system, composed of catch basins, pipes, and various control measures, ensures that stormwater runoff from the entire City is managed properly to help reduce flooding, erosion, pollution, and property damage. The Stormwater Program is responsible for managing all aspects of the City's NPDES Phase II Stormwater Permit from Public Education and Outreach to Illicit Discharge Detection and Asset Inspection, Operation, and Maintenance.

Additional Questions

If you have more questions regarding the Stormwater Utility Fee or the Stormwater Program please contact Stormwater Administrator Michael Huffman.