Stormwater Service Charge

Stormwater Service Charge Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Every person and organization in our MS4 (Muncie Sanitary District/City of Muncie, Delaware County, Town of Yorktown and Ivy Tech- Muncie) contributes to stormwater runoff, which is why funding must be mandated to complete Stormwater Management assessments, improvements, etc. to meet Federal and State mandates. This funding ensures mandatory MS4 compliance that is necessary to reduce pollution from entering our waterways, which results in improved water quality for the public, as well as the aquatic organisms that live in our waterways. For this reason, no one is exempt from paying stormwater fees, including churches, nonprofits, schools, and government buildings.

How Will the Money Be Spent?

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT:

  • New infrastructure in older neighborhoods
  • New development infrastructure
  • Upgrades to existing infrastructure
  • Floodway improvements
  • 100% separation of combined sewers
  • Unfunded mandate by Federal and State Government

MAINTENANCE

  • Maintenance of existing storm system
  • Maintenance of future system
  • Maintenance of White River levee
  • Upgrades to maintenance of all municipal infrastructure

COMPLIANCE

  • Stormwater Quality Management Plan
  • Long Term Control Plan (LTCP)
  • Education and Outreach
  • Construction Site Erosion Control
  • Post Construction Development
  • Water Quality Evaluation
  • Municipal Operations Management
  • Program Management

How is My Bill Calculated?

Rates are based on a property’s contribution to stormwater runoff. Therefore, customers are charged based on the impervious surface (hard surface such as parking lots, roofs, sidewalks, etc.) their property is known to have. This amount was calculated using the data from property tax records and aerial photography.

Customers are broken down into two classifications; Residential and Non-Residential. Classifications are determined using the State of Indiana land use codes.

Residential Rates are based on the average impervious area (2,500 sq. ft.) of all properties within Delaware County.

Non-Residential Rates are based on the average classes of impervious area starting with the base calculation at the equivalent residential rate class.

Calculations are determined by using Equivalent Residential Units (ERU), which is the basic unit for the computation of storm water service fees.

All properties contribute to the community’s need to manage stormwater, therefore, all property owners must share in the cost of this program, and no properties are exempt.

We All Contribute to Stormwater

Impervious surface is defined as mainly artificial structures–such as pavements (roads, sidewalks, driveways and parking lots) that are covered by impenetrable materials such as asphalt, concrete, brick, and stone, and rooftops. Soils compacted by urban development are also highly impervious.

These pavement materials seal the soil surface, eliminating rainwater infiltration and natural groundwater recharge.

Stormwater runoff creates pollutants that include excess nutrients from fertilizers; pathogens from pet waste; gasoline, motor oil, and heavy metals from vehicles; high sediment loads from stream bed erosion and construction sites, and waste such as cigarette butts. Polluted runoff can have many negative effects on fish, animals, plants and people.

Stormwater Rates per ERU (Equivalent Residential Units) per Partnership Entity

Muncie Sanitary District

  • $9.00 a month for all Residential Properties
  • Please see Rate Classifications for Non-Residential Properties
  • Questions should be directed to the Muncie Sanitary District’s Board of Commissioners

Delaware County

  • $.95 a month for all Residential Properties
  • Please see Rate Classification for Non-Residential Properties
  • Questions should be directed to the Delaware County Stormwater Board which includes the Delaware County Commissioners and the Delaware County Surveyor.
  • This rate does not include the Town of Selma or the Town of Daleville. Any questions related to these towns should be directed to the Town Board and Town Manager.

Yorktown

  • $2 a month for all Residential Properties
  • Please see Rate Classification for Non-Residential Properties
  • Questions should be directed to the Yorktown Town Manager and Town Board

Additional Information related to Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO’s)

Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO’s) discharge pollutants which can include bacteria and other pathogens; chemicals, and debris to our river. The Muncie Sanitary District had 84 miles of Combined Sewer System (CSS). The United States alone has 772 CSS communities. In 2000, Congress amended the Clean Water Act to require CSS municipalities to comply and implement a CSO Long Term Control Plan.

According to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, there are 107 baseline Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) communities in Indiana. The Muncie Sanitary District had 23 registered CSO’s under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. We are now at 16 registered CSO’s with some under construction now (Spring of 2017). A Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) was created and recommended by the Citizen’s Advisory Committee, and recommended to the Muncie Sanitary District Board of Sanitary Commissioners on March 9, 2010. The estimated cost of the LTCP is $168 Million dollars with an implementation time of 20 years, starting in 2012.

The Stormwater Management Department maintains and operates a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit. This permit is implemented by following a Stormwater Quality Management Plan that includes educational programs, outreach, public participation and compliance enforcement to achieve water quality standards using best management practices.

The Stormwater Management Department is a collaborative effort between the Muncie Sanitary District, Delaware County, the Town of Yorktown & Ivy Tech of Muncie.

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