STORMWATER FAQ's

What is this Stormwater Fee on my Utility bill?

The federal government requires any city with more than 10,000 people to have a Stormwater Management Plan (see the NPDES entry in FAQ). The City of Grand Island collects a surcharge from each utility customer to help cover the costs associated with complying with those regulations. The money helps cover the costs of maintenance activities like street sweeping, cleaning storm sewer pipes, and inspecting our storm infrastructure. 

Why should I care about stormwater?

To keep costs down: We all need water. We pay good money for clean water. The City is required to test for and treat contaminants in our drinking water before it can be delivered to our homes. If our source water is polluted, the cost of our drinking water rises. Preventing pollution before it reaches the waterways costs significantly less money than restoring dirty water.

To protect your property: Your property directly benefits from stormwater management. Rain that falls on a field can soak in; rain falling on your roof becomes runoff. Urban areas with lots of hard surfaces (roofs, pavement, buildings) have lots of runoff. If this stormwater isn't allowed to soak in or piped away from structures, the runoff becomes flood water. Repeated flooding causes property values to drop.

To enjoy the outdoors: Our stormwater runoff carries all kinds of debris from the hard surfaces in town to local surface waters. Every time it rains, the poo from someone's pet is flushed into your lake and vehicle fluids from the highway are carried to a nearby stream. When you fertilize your lawn or garden, any fertilizer that is not used by plants becomes fertilizer for algae in our rivers. If you like to fish, swim, or boat, you know that you cannot do these things in your favorite place if the water is unhealthy or has too much algae. Those restrictions are due to stormwater pollution.

What is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program?

The EPA’s “National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater Program Questions and Answers” document states:

Polluted stormwater runoff is a leading cause of impairment to the nearly 40 percent of surveyed U.S. water bodies which do not meet water quality standards. Over land or via storm sewer systems, polluted runoff is discharged, often untreated, directly into local water bodies. When left uncontrolled, this water pollution can result in the destruction of fish, wildlife and aquatic life habitats; a loss in aesthetic value; and threats to public health due to contaminated food, drinking water supplies; and recreational waterways.

Mandated by Congress under the Clean Water Act, the NPDES stormwater program is a comprehensive two-phased national program for addressing the non-agricultural sources of stormwater discharges which adversely affect the quality of our nation’s waters. The program uses the NPDES permitting mechanism to require the implementation of controls designed to prevent harmful pollutants from being washed by stormwater runoff into local water bodies.

View more information on the NPDES.

What is stormwater runoff?

Stormwater runoff is water from rain or snowmelt that flows across hard (impervious) surfaces instead of soaking into the ground. This flow picks up any trash or pollutants in its path and carries everything to the nearest storm drain and then to our lakes and rivers.

Image courtesy of the City of Sioux City

Are sewers and storm drains the same thing?

No, they are not the same thing; in our community, the two are completely separate systems. Our sanitary sewer system collects waste from your sinks, toilets, showers, and washing machines. The sewer pipes carry the waste from your property to our wastewater treatment facility where the waste is removed before clean water is discharged to the Wood River. Stormwater is collected from our streets and then flows through dedicated stormwater pipes. This system carries untreated water (along with trash and debris) into local lakes and waterways before eventually reaching the Platte River. 

Image courtesy of the City of Alexandria 

Why do we need to manage stormwater?

Flood resilience: proper stormwater management makes our community less susceptible to flooding. 

The City’s Stormwater Management Program focuses on directing rainwater away from homes and properties into storm the storm system. This protects your property from flooding by removing the stormwater from your neighborhood. Eventually, stormwater is sent into grassy ditches where the water can slow down and some can soak into the ground before it reaches lakes and rivers.

Municipal stormwater is the biggest source of water pollution in Nebraska. Hunting, fishing, boating, and floating are all negatively impacted by polluted stormwater.  Private water wells may be providing contaminated water to rural homes. Downstream communities using river water as their drinking water source must pay more money to clean and treat polluted water.

Large volumes of water can also create issues. If you consider the water flowing off of your roof during a 1” rain as opposed to the water flowing off your lawn, you’ll notice that the flow from your roof is much greater than what comes off your yard. Water falling on impervious surfaces like your roof, driveway, or the street, can’t soak in and becomes runoff. The increased amount of water running off of impervious surfaces can cause localized flooding. The speed at which this runoff travels can erode earthen banks and stream banks, adding more dirt to the already polluted stormwater.

What can I do to prevent stormwater pollution?

People are the number one source of stormwater pollution. Around the house, pollution sources include pesticides, fertilizers, grass clippings, and leaves, from your lawn care; engine fluid, oils, and soaps from washing your car; loose soil from your property; wintertime ice melt (salt) from your driveway; pet waste and trash.  Water flowing across pavement carries all of these things and more down the storm drain and into our lakes and rivers.

Pollution prevention is much more affordable than treating polluted water. Here are a few things you can do:

• Don’t put anything in storm drains.
• Avoid throwing litter into the street.
• Pickup after your pet. 
• Maintain your vehicle so it doesn’t leak.
• Recycle your motor oil.
• If you wash your car at home, wash it on your lawn to keep the soap out of the drain. 
• Bag, compost or recycle grass, tree limbs, leaves and other yard waste. 
• Use yard waste as mulch, natural fertilizer or ground cover.
• Be smart when you apply pesticides or fertilizers. Follow the package instructions.
• Never apply lawn chemicals before a rainstorm.
• Sweep up grass clippings, leaves, and fertilizer from paved surfaces. 
• If you have a septic system, maintain it properly. Mismanaged septic systems are a health hazard and can pollute groundwater.
• Encourage local businesses to start a recycling program if they don’t already have one. 
• Don’t use harsh, abrasive or toxic chemicals around the house. 
• When purchasing chemicals, buy just what you need to do the job.
• Keep any chemicals tightly sealed and in a covered place. 
• Report illegal dumping. Call (308) 646-6557 to notify the Stormwater Department directly. You can also contact the Public Works Department at (308) 385-5455 or digitally via email, Facebook, or Twitter. All reports will be investigated.

 

 

What is the City doing to reduce stormwater pollution?

The City of Grand Island follows a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) that has been designed to reduce the impact of our activities to the maximum extent practicable. The City also abides by an NPDES permit which prohibits non-stormwater discharges into our local waterways. Our SWMP includes pollution reduction practices for active construction sites, completed construction sites, illegal discharges, illicit connections, new developments, and daily municipal operations. The program also includes education initiatives for the public, businesses, industries, and municipal workers.

Can any products be safely poured down the storm drains?

NO! The only thing that should enter the storm drains is rainwater. Everything that goes down the drain will end up in our local rivers and lakes, UNTREATED.

How do I report illegal dumping or suspicious discharges?

Suspicious discharges might include irregular smells coming from an open ditch, soapy bubbles flowing down a waterway, or a discolored stream of water. Call (308) 646-6557 to notify the Stormwater Department directly. You can also contact the Public Works Department at (308) 385-5455 or digitally via email, Facebook, or Twitter. All reports will be investigated.

There is a Construction Site creating a problem or a mess, who do I contact?

All construction sites in town and within 2 miles of City limits are monitored by the Building Department (308) 385-5325 and the Stormwater Program (308) 646-6557.

Construction sites are required to keep any entrances to their project tidy. Some do this by scraping or brushing the streets at the end of the work day and some do so throughout the day. Dirty, muddy streets with gutters full of debris are not acceptable.

Dust is a common occurrence at any site with bare soil. Contractors are required to maintain their construction entrances and haul roads. They are expected to make a reasonable effort to keep the dust from leaving the work site.

Please call (308) 646-6557 to notify the Stormwater Department directly. You can also contact the Public Works Department at (308) 385-5455 or digitally via email, Facebook, or Twitter. All reports will be investigated.

Why does the Stormwater Program care about industrial activity?

Industrial and commercial facilities often have bulk storage of chemicals, fuel tanks, large equipment, and regular loading and unloading of material. These activities are associated with increased potential for stormwater pollution (ie improper storage or leaking tanks/equipment). The larger area of impervious surfaces makes these sites a priority because of the increased stormwater runoff flow.

Federal regulations require specific industrial sectors to be covered under an NPDES permit. These industries are identified by their Standard Industrial Classification code, listed here in Appendix D. More can be found at the NDEE Industrial Stormwater site.

There is a Sump Pump in my neighborhood creating a problem or a mess, who do I contact?

The groundwater table in our area is high. For that reason, many properties make use of sump pumps to keep their basements dry.

However, sump pump discharges can be troublesome to our infrastructure.

1. Sump pumps cannot be directed into the sanitary sewer:
   • This increases the chance for sewer backups into your home due to full pipes
   • Sending clean water to the wastewater treatment facility increases the amount of water they treat which increases everyone’s wastewater bill
2. Sump pump plumbing cannot block sidewalks:
   • We need to keep our sidewalks accessible to all citizens including those with low vision and those traveling with strollers
3. Sump pump plumbing cannot be drilled through a concrete curb:
   • This weakens the integrity of the cut concrete
   • The direct, constant discharge increases the number of freeze/thaw events and reduces the lifespan of the street 

If you have a sump pump, raise the floats as high as possible so the pump runs less frequently - this helps the street to dry out in between pump cycles.  Scrub away any algae buildup - algae creates slick spots which are dangerous to traffic. Keep the gutter clean so your sump pump discharge doesn't get blocked by yard waste or debris on its way to the drain. Get creative to find a use for this water - direct your discharge to a cistern or rain barrel for use in your garden, lawn, or toilet. Investigate the possibility of connecting your pump directly to the storm sewer system or work with your neighbors to create a temporary piping solution.

The Water Discharge Policy is posted on the Engineering website and specifies the preference for sump pump discharge. It is the City’s policy to accommodate water discharges where possible, only taking action to address problems.

If you have a problem that needs addressed, please call (308) 646-6557 to speak to the Stormwater Department directly. You can also contact the Public Works Department at (308) 385-5455 or digitally via email, Facebook, or Twitter. All reports will be investigated. Please be patient as resolving these issues is costly and takes time.

There is an Open Ditch in my neighborhood creating a problem or a mess, who do I contact?

The City makes use of Open Ditches as part of its stormwater management plan. Vegetation in these areas is maintained at or above 3 inches in an effort to slow the water down. This allows dirt and debris to settle out of the water, creating a cleaner stormwater stream. The open ditches also allow for evaporation and ground infiltration, reducing the size of the stormwater stream.

These ditches are on a rotating maintenance schedule and we do our best to stick to that schedule, however, wet diches are difficult to maintain. Dry years provide the best opportunity to clean and maintain ditches.

If the ditch in your neighborhood needs attention, please call (308) 646-6557 to speak to the Stormwater Department directly. You can also contact the Public Works Department at (308) 385-5455 or digitally via email, Facebook, or Twitter. All reports will be investigated. Please be patient as resolving these issues is dependent on the weather and staff/equipment availability.

I want a Dewatering Well in my neighborhood, who do I contact?

The City does not have a dewatering program. Dewatering wells are permitted by the Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPRND). Well applications received by the CPNRD located inside City limits must also be approved by the City. Any wells permitted inside City limits will be privately installed, owned, and maintained. They will be covered by a License Agreement which states that the well owner will shut down the well at the request of the City. This generally happens when the stormwater pipe is reaching capacity and the well discharge is taking up valuable space. Additional considerations include potential flooding of down-stream communities and nearby lake levels that may be affected.

Any other questions:

If your neighborhood would like to speak to City Council, please contact your Council Member. If you have a permitting question, please contact the CPNRD at (308) 385-6282. You may also call (308) 646-6557 to speak to the Stormwater Department directly or contact the Public Works Department at (308) 385-5455 or digitally via email, Facebook, or Twitter. We will do our best to answer any questions or direct you to a party that can help