Stormwater User Charge

When water falls to the earth as rain, snow or ice, most of it seeps into the ground. If the ground is frozen or saturated with water, the excess water flows over land creating stormwater runoff.

Also, rain and melted snow and ice on hard surfaces, as well as roads, buildings, parking lots, and sidewalks, has nowhere to go except flow downhill to a street, storm drain, or nearby creek.

Stormwater runoff is directed into storm drains that flow directly into local streams, rivers, and lakes carrying pollutants from the ground and hard surfaces. These pollutants include oil and grease, fertilizers, pesticides, pet waste, trash, and soil. The pollutants degrade the water quality and are harmful to wildlife.

Stormwater runoff also threatens private property, businesses, and streets.

Stormwater Management is the protection of private property, commerce, roads, and the environment.

This is accomplished through the maintenance, renewal, and improvement of stormwater infrastructure.

In Kansas City, Kansas, Public Works is responsible for:

• More than 400 miles of stormwater pipe
• More than 10,000 stormwater structures, and
• More than 120 miles of open channel drainage

The City also has more than 600 miles of ditches.

All of this infrastructure is meant to protect life, property, commerce, streets, and the environment. Infrastructure systems of this magnitude must be maintained continuously and vigilantly, and all of that infrastructure has a finite life.

To ensure stormwater is properly managed, infrastructure needs are supported by a utility charge similar to water and electric utility charges. This is called the stormwater user charge.

In late 2018, Public Works identified the need to make extensive improvements to the stormwater system because it is failing, and the Department recommended overcoming this by proposing a rate structure that meets funding needs and is fairer for rate payers by basing the user charge on an individual property’s use of the stormwater system.

The Proposed user charge is based on the amount of hard (impervious) surface a property has. Hard, or impervious surface, is any surface that does not allow rainwater to absorb naturally into the ground. If rainwater is not absorbed naturally into the ground, it becomes the stormwater that runs off a property and must be managed by the stormwater system. The harder surface a property has, the more stormwater runoff it generates, and the more demand it places on the stormwater system.

Basing the user charge on the amount of hard surface a property has helps make the substantial cost of maintaining, renewing, and improving the stormwater system fairer for rate payers.

Each property's hard or impervious area square footage is determined using a technological approach based on aerial ortho-imagery and the UG’s parcel polygon layer.

An Impervious Area (IA) Billing Unit (BU) is equal to 500 square feet of hard (impervious) area.

Similar to other utility charges like water, electricity, and wastewater, many communities also have a utility charge designed to manage the water from storms, ice, or snow. This charge supports the maintenance, renewal, and improvement of the stormwater system's various assets like pipes, inlets, bridge culverts, and open channels. It also maintains compliance with federal regulations under the Clean Water Act.

In 2023, residential properties in Kansas City, Kansas paid $6.30 per month and non-residential properties paid $14.70.

In January 2024, the stormwater user charge transitioned to a model based on the amount of hard (impervious) surfaces a property has.

The UG has a network of drainage system that collects and conveys stormwater to the Kansas and Missouri rivers and other surface waters.

The network of drainage systems consists of a Combined Sewer System (CSS) in a small service area of Kansas City, KS, and a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4 system). Due to this network of systems, the UG has federal obligations under the Clean Water Act, to address water quality and comply with regulatory permit requirements. In addition, the UG operates and maintains the drainage system and invests in capital improvements to the infrastructure.

The UG’s stormwater charge:

• Funds our Clean Water Act regulatory obligations.
• Helps rehabilitate stormwater management facilities, including storm sewers and other stormwater structures.
• Performs routine operations and maintenance (O&M) activities to mitigate localized flooding and minimize pollutants entering local streams, ponds, lakes, and rivers.
• Funds improvement projects that mitigate localized flooding and minimizes pollutants entering local streams, ponds, lakes, and rivers.

The new stormwater structure includes two main parts: a monthly Base Charge and a charge based on Impervious Area (IA). Impervious areas are hard surfaces like driveways and rooftops that don't absorb rainwater. This means properties with more of these surfaces create more stormwater runoff. The IA Charge is based on how much of these hard surfaces a property has. This makes the charges more equitable because properties contributing more to the runoff problem pay more.

Let's look at why this change was needed. Firstly, the old charge system wasn't bringing in enough money to keep up with, or improve, our stormwater management system. Secondly, the new system is more equitable. Before, most residential properties in Kansas City, Kansas, paid a flat rate of $6.30 per month, and non-residential paid $14.70, regardless of their size or the amount of hard surface they had. This wasn’t equitable, considering that private homes make up more than 83% of properties in Kansas City, Kansas, but only account for about 32% of the hard surfaces.

The new plan addresses these issues, ensuring properties pay their fair share based on their actual impact on stormwater runoff.

On November 3, 2022, the Board of County Commissioners adopted an individually calculated stormwater rate model based upon the amount of hard surface contained in the property parcel.

Under the individually calculated model, all properties pay a rate per 500 ft², plus a monthly base charge beginning January 1, 2024. The user charge is calculated by dividing the amount of hard surface a property has by 500, multiplying that by the rate per square feet and then adding the monthly base charge.

View the rate schedule image below:
(PNG, 180KB)

1,200 ft² Example Property
To calculate the fee for a property with 1,200 ft² of hard surface, divide 1,200 by 500 to get 2.4. 2.4 is then multiplied by the 2024 Rate Per 500 ft² of $0.70 to equal $1.68. $1.68 is then added to the 2024 Monthly Base Charge of $4.15. For this property in 2024, the monthly charge is $5.83.

500,000 ft² Example Property
To calculate the fee for a property with 500,000ft² of hard surface, divide 500,000 by 500 to get 1,000. 1,000 is then multiplied by the 2024 Rate Per 500 ft² of $0.70 to equal $700. $700 is then added to the 2024 Monthly Base Charge of $4.15. For this property in 2024, the monthly charge is $704.15.

To find your rate, or to see the rate of other properties, visit the Stormwater Rate Lookup Map:
Explore the Map

The stormwater user charge transitioned from a rate structure consisting of a monthly flat Residential charge and a monthly flat Non-Residential charge to a stormwater rate structure comprising two components. The two components in the revised stormwater rate structure are as follows:

• Base Charge: A monthly uniform Base Charge that is assessed on each property; and
• Impervious Area Charge (IA Charge): A monthly IA Charge that is based on a property’s specific hard (impervious) area square footage.

The sum of the Base Charge and the Impervious Area Charge is the property’s total monthly stormwater charge.

Under the individually calculated model, all properties pay a rate per 500 ft², plus a monthly base charge beginning January 1, 2024. The user fee is calculated by dividing the amount of hard surface a property has by 500, multiplying that by the rate per square feet and then adding the monthly base charge.

View the rate schedule image below:
(PNG, 180KB)

1,200 ft² Example Property
To calculate the fee for a property with 1,200 ft² of hard surface, divide 1,200 by 500 to get 2.4. 2.4 is then multiplied by the 2024 Rate Per 500 ft² of $0.70 to equal $1.68. $1.68 is then added to the 2024 Monthly Base Charge of $4.15. For this property in 2024, the monthly charge is $5.83.

500,000 ft² Example Property
To calculate the fee for a property with 500,000ft² of hard surface, divide 500,000 by 500 to get 1,000. 1,000 is then multiplied by the 2024 Rate Per 500 ft²of $0.70 to equal $700. $700 is then added to the 2024 Monthly Base Charge of $4.15. For this property in 2024, the monthly charge is $704.15.

The average cost for an individual residential property with an average-sized house and property will be approximately $8.71 per month in 2024, relative to the previous monthly charge of $6.30. On average, it’s estimated that residential properties may see an increase of approximately $2.41.

The monthly stormwater charge is assessed on all residential and non-residential properties in the Unified Government’s service area except for those properties located in Bonner Springs, Edwardsville, and Fairfax Drainage District.

In addition, properties that are deemed Public rights-of-way (ROW), public streets, public alleys and public sidewalks will not be assessed any monthly stormwater charge.

Per Unified Government Municipal Code Sec. 30-331, storm and surface water utility fee collection for customers who utilize other BPU utility services such as electric and/or water service, the monthly stormwater charge is billed on the customer’s BPU utility bill.

For customers that do not utilize other BPU utility services, the monthly stormwater charge is still billed via a BPU utility bill, as a “Stormwater Only” service. This bill is issued to the person recorded as the owner of the parcel with the register of deeds.

As regards payment responsibility, the person who has the utility service account with the BPU for water and/or electric service for the property, shall initially be responsible for the payment of the stormwater charge. If the property is not using water and/or sewer services, then storm water charge shall be the responsibility of the person recorded as the owner of the property with the register of deeds.

However, the person recorded as the owner of the property, with the register of deeds, is ultimately responsible for the stormwater utility charges not paid by the occupant or person in possession of the property.

Do you live in an apartment, duplex, or multi-housing unit, but are not sure what your individual charge is? That's okay!

If you normally receive a utility bill for trash, water, or electricity, calculating your charge is fairly easy but takes a little extra work.

In simple terms, to figure out the stormwater service charge for these types of properties, we look at how much hard surface area it has, divide that by a standard measurement and the number of utility locations, and then apply specific rates to get the cost per location. Here's an example using a property with 16,800 square feet of hard surface containing 12 locations that use water, electricity, trash, or stormwater services.

Example Property

Key Terms:

• Impervious Area (IA): The part of the property that water can't soak into.
• BPU Location: A place on the property that uses utilities like water and electricity.
• Billing Units (BUs): A way to measure usage for billing purposes.

How Charges Are Calculated for the Impervious Area:

• The property's impervious area is divided by 500 and then by the number of BPU locations (12) to determine the monthly billing units (BUs) per location, which comes out to 2.789 BUs.
• Each BPU location is then charged $1.95 based on these BUs. This charge is calculated by multiplying the BUs (2.789) by $0.70.

Base Charge:

• There's also a monthly base charge of $0.34 per BPU location, which comes from dividing a total base charge ($4.15) by the number of locations (12).

Total Monthly Stormwater Charge:

• To find the total monthly charge for stormwater services per BPU location, add the impervious area charge ($1.95) to the base charge ($0.34), equaling $2.29.

In this example, the location's rate would decrease from $6.30 in 2023 to $2.29 per month in 2024. This approach ensures that the property's total contribution to stormwater runoff is accounted for in a fair and consistent manner, spreading the cost of stormwater management across all associated locations based on the property's overall impervious surface.

To find your location's monthly charge, visit the Stormwater Rate Lookup Map. For assistance, dial 3-1-1.

First, the current stormwater management user charge structure does not generate enough revenue to maintain the current stormwater management infrastructure, much less improve it.

Second, the new stormwater user charge structure is more equitable for all properties. In 2023, most Kansas City, Kansas, residential properties paid $6.30 a month for stormwater management. Businesses and non-residential properties were charged $14.70 monthly. The current system doesn’t take into consideration the amount of hard surface contained in each property parcel.

Addressing this disparity is important, because residential property makes up 83.7% of all property parcels in Kansas City, Kansas, but accounts for only 32.5% of all impervious hard surfaces.

The new monthly stormwater user charge structure is based on two components:

• A flat Base Charge per property;
• An Impervious Area Charge based on the amount of hard, non-absorbent surface area that each property contains.
  • “Hard, non-absorbent surfaces” includes concrete sidewalks, asphalt roads, parking lots, driveways, rooftops and other hard surfaces.

When it rains, water can’t penetrate these hard surfaces, which leads to runoff. The harder surface a property contains, the more stormwater runoff it generates, and the more demand it places on the stormwater system. The new stormwater management user charge structure is fairer and more equitable for properties.

Properties that place more demand on the stormwater management system will be required to pay more to maintain and upgrade it.

Before, most residential properties in Kansas City, Kansas, paid a flat rate of $6.30 per month, and non-residential paid $14.70, regardless of their size or the amount of hard surface they had. This wasn’t equitable, considering that private homes make up over 83% of properties in Kansas City, Kansas, but only account for about 32% of the hard surfaces.

The new structure addresses these issues, ensuring properties pay their fair share based on their actual impact on stormwater runoff.

The new user charge structure went into effect on January 1, 2024.

The funds generated under the new fee structure will be used to:

• Comply with federal obligations under the Clean Water Act
• Create and deploy a ditching program to care for the city’s more than 600 miles of ditches
• Increase the amount of street sweeping performed in flood-prone areas
• Reduce a significant maintenance backlog
• Renew aging assets such as bridge culverts and curbing
• Improve existing assets such as underground pipes
• Leverage federal and state funding to complete nine high-priority stormwater projects in critical basins to mitigate flooding risk, improve system functionality and establish regular infrastructure improvement activities.

No - the revised stormwater rate structure applies to all residential and non-residential properties in Kansas City, KS.

It does NOT apply to properties in Bonner Springs, Edwardsville, Lake Quivira and Fairfax Drainage District. In addition, public rights-of-way such as public streets, public alleys and public sidewalks are exempt from the fee.

The UG determined the impervious area square footage for each property using a technological approach of digitization of impervious surface based on aerial ortho-imagery and UG’s parcel polygon layer.

If your property has fewer than 500 square feet of impervious area, then your property will not be assessed any IA Charge. However, your property will still be assessed a monthly Base Charge of $4.15.

Note: Only properties with equal to or greater than 500 square feet of impervious area will be assessed a monthly IA Charge.

Non-residential properties may be eligible for a stormwater credit if the property can prove through required technical documentation that stormwater runoff from the entire parcel, or a portion of it, is managed on-site, per the UG’s stormwater credits program technical criteria. Applicants can apply for first-time stormwater credits at any time during 2024.

The stormwater Credits Program offers the following four types of credits to non-residential properties:

1. Quality Credits: Quality Credits are available to properties that implement stormwater best management practices (BMPs) that effectively control pollutants in the runoff and thus protect water quality.
2. Quantity Credits: Quantity Credits are available to properties that control the rate of stormwater runoff discharged to the Unified Government’s stormwater system or surface water system (rivers, streams, etc).
3. Discharge Credit: Discharge Credits are offered to properties with permitted discharges and for properties adjacent to the Kansas or Missouri Rivers, where the runoff from the property flows directly or through a private system into these rivers.
4. Ratio Credit: Ratio Credits are offered to properties with large pervious areas relative to impervious areas and thereby help minimize the overall volume of runoff from the property.

Quantity and Quality credits will not be provided for stormwater management practices that are under construction, not fully functional, or are not properly maintained. Stormwater utility fee credits are applicable only to non-residential properties, and only to the IA Charge component and not to the Base Charge.

To obtain credit, property owners must apply and provide sufficient technical evidence. To learn more about applying for a credit and to get started, download the UG Credit & Appeals Manual.

Credits & Appeals Manual(PDF, 448KB)

Credits Application Information & Forms
Applicants can apply for first-time stormwater credits at any time during 2024. Beginning in 2025, first-time stormwater credit applications will be accepted only during the Credits Open Enrollment Period, which is January 1^st through March 31^st.

Beginning 2025, first time credit applications that are not received within the Credits Open Enrollment Period will not be processed. Credit applications will not be considered complete and will not be processed unless accompanied by a non-refundable fee of $25.00 per parcel for 501(c) or 501(c)(3) organizations or $95.00 per parcel for non-residential properties. Please review the Credit & Appeals Manual.

• Credit & Appeals Manual (with forms)(PDF, 448KB)
• Credits Application Form(PDF, 140KB)
• Credits Renewal Application Form(PDF, 132KB)

The UG has a stormwater charge appeals program to address customer concerns regarding the stormwater charge and related data. There are many reasons why customers may want to appeal their stormwater user charge or its related data, including:

• Property Classification: Submit an adjustment request if the property classification that is assigned to a parcel is believed to be inaccurate.
• Parcel Ownership: Submit an adjustment request if the parcel ownership that is assigned to a parcel is believed to be inaccurate.
• Impervious Area: File an adjustment request if the total impervious area of a parcel, which the Unified Government uses to calculate the monthly IA Charge, is believed to be inaccurate.
• Gravel Area: File an adjustment request if the impervious area of a parcel or a portion thereof, is gravel and the Applicant can demonstrate that the gravel surface area is not compacted (does not contain fines) and is equal to or greater than 50% of the total billed impervious area square footage of the property.
• Compacted Dirt: File an adjustment request if the impervious area of a parcel or portion thereof, is compacted dirt, and the Applicant can demonstrate that the compacted dirt area is equal to or greater than 50% of the total billed impervious area square footage of the property.

The UG will not accept stormwater utility fee adjustment appeal applications for any reason other than those stipulated above. Customers may submit an appeals application at any time. There is no fee for submitting appeals requests. To get started, review the Credit & Appeals Manual:

Credit & Appeals Manual(PDF, 448KB)

Appeals Application Information & Forms
Applicants may submit an appeals application at any time. Please review the Credit & Appeals Manual and use these forms to get started:

• Credit & Appeals Manual (with forms)(PDF, 448KB)
• Appeals Application Form(PDF, 135KB)

Need some help? Have questions or want to provide feedback? You have options!

1. Questions regarding payment, payment arrangement, and general bill related questions can be directed to BPU Customer Service at (913) 573-9190.
   
   
2. Specific stormwater related questions regarding hard (impervious) area, stormwater charges, credits, or appeals, must be directed to UG customer service at (913) 573-5311 or by completing the form below.

Stormwater Charge Assistance Form

Did you know many cities have a stormwater user charge? They use the funds generated to do the same thing we do; maintain and improve important stormwater infrastructure.

Although every city is different, it is possible to compare rates. Check out the information below to see how much our neighbors charge for similar services.

First up - a look at the monthly charge for several cities. Each one charges a slightly different amount based on the amount of hard (impervious) surface a property has:

(PNG, 234KB)

Next up - a look at monthly charges based on the amount of hard (impervious) surface a property has. Although the UG's rate structure doesn't differentiate between "residential" and "non-residential," many residential properties do not have 5,000, 10,000 or 50,000 square feet of hard surface. In fact, private homes make up more than 83% of properties in Kansas City, Kansas, but only account for about 32% of the hard surfaces:
(PNG, 236KB)

Last up - a look at monthly charges based on the amount of hard (impervious) surface a property has. Although the UG's rate structure doesn't differentiate between "non-residential" and "residential," many non-residential properties have larger hard surface amounts than private homes. In fact, non-residential properties account for around 68 of hard surfaces but make up about 17% of properties in Kansas City, Kansas:

(PNG, 254KB)

Stormwater can be a complicated topic, so the Public Works team felt it would be helpful to produce a Stormwater Overview Document that tells the story of stormwater over the last four years in an accessible, plainly written way. It does this by answering several common questions:

1. What is stormwater?
2. What is Stormwater Management?
3. What is the Stormwater User Fee?
4. Why does the Stormwater User Fee need to be updated?
5. What will updating the Stormwater User Fee achieve?
6. What will happen if the Stormwater User Fee is not updated?
7. What has Public Works done since 2018 to facilitate the update?

Stormwater Overview(PDF, 315KB)