Stormwater (Drainage) Utility

The stormwater (drainage) utility fee considers a property’s impervious area which is the total area covered by materials such as asphalt, concrete, brick, stone, and compacted surfaces which reduce infiltration of precipitation. The amount of impervious area on a property directly impacts how much stormwater runs off the property and enters the City’s drainage system. The following two properties are similar in size; however, the one on the left has considerably more impervious area, thus a higher stormwater utility fee.

Stormwater Rates Effective March 1, 2014

* Non-residential, commercial, industrial, and multi-family properties will be billed $1.64 per 1,000 square feet of impervious area.

The stormwater utility fees are billed to all properties located within the City limits. Properties that do not receive any other City utility services will only be billed for stormwater.

Questions

• For questions about the stormwater utility fee, please contact the City at 512-218-7046 or via email
• For information on property ownership, please contact the Williamson County Appraisal District (WCAD) at 512-930-3787

Capital Improvement Projects

On Dec. 5, 2013, the Round Rock City Council approved an adjustment in the Stormwater (Drainage) Utility rate to $4.75 per month per ERU (Equivalent Residential Unit). The rate, which went into effect March 1, 2014, funds increased maintenance, state and federal compliance costs, and the Stormwater Capital Improvement Project (CIP) plan. The Stormwater CIP plan is a continually updated plan that groups and prioritizes projects in three categories: Creek, Street, and Heavy Maintenance.

Types of Projects

• Creek projects typically involve flood relief projects that protect life and property by minimizing the occurrence of creeks overtopping their banks and/or roadways.
• Street projects usually involve adding storm drain inlets and pipes in older areas that were built before modern standards were in place and thus may not have the infrastructure in place to handle typical storms.
• Heavy maintenance projects primarily focus on repairing deterioration in existing drainage ways due to erosion caused by upstream development and drought-driven vegetation loss.

Projects will be prioritized first by those having the greatest impact in protecting life and enhancing safety and second by those that can most cost-effectively make the most significant impact. While many creek flood relief projects will start the design process first, the scale, complexity, and federal permitting challenges associated with those projects likely means that construction will actually occur after some less complex projects are completed. The City has identified more than $30 million of Creek projects that would reduce flooding. These projects alone will outstrip the capacity of the recent rate increase so staff is working with area partners such as the Upper Brushy Creek Water Control and Improvement District to leverage the new funds and maximize their impacts. Staff will also pursue grant opportunities.

City of Round Rock – Stormwater

512-218-7046
stormwater@roundrocktexas.gov

Williamson County Appraisal District (WCAD)

512-930-3787