Stormwater Management

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Learn how the City can help pay for Soil Quality Restoration at your home!

When it rains in Iowa City, water passes over roofs, streets, parking lots, and other land surfaces, picking up pollutants such as oil, chemicals, pesticides, and eroded soil along the way. Any pollutant directed into the stormwater drainage system bypasses treatment and flows directly into our waterways and to those downstream. This creates hazards for people, wildlife, and the environment. Protecting stormwater quality keeps our waterways healthy and preserves wildlife habitat.

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is a federal program that regulates stormwater discharge into waterways. To comply with the federal requirements, the City received a permit to discharge stormwater and develop programs to reduce the discharge of pollutants carried by stormwater into our local waterways.

The goals of the stormwater utility are:

To protect the community and its waterways through sound planning and construction of stormwater management projects, such as storm sewer and flood-prevention capital improvements.
To inform residents in the use of “Best Management Practices” (BMPs) to aid in reducing stormwater runoff volumes and improving stormwater quality and to promote their use through cost subsidies. Examples of such practices include creek management, rain gardens, rain barrels, and other methods. To encourage their use, stormwater utility fees will be used to help defray the cost to homeowners of some or all of these methods.
To monitor pollutants in waterways and inform homeowners and businesses of methods they can use to reduce pollution and improve stormwater quality.
To promote and coordinate volunteer efforts to clean up creek banks, remove debris from waterways, and other environmental projects.
To ensure compliance by contractors and developers with federal regulations for sediment protection during construction projects by promoting BMPs.

For more information, contact City Engineer Jason Havel.

Storm sewer hotline (24-hour emergency): 319-356-5177.

Why storm water management is necessary

Why Storm Water Management is Necessary

As cities develop and grow, the undeveloped areas and surrounding rural region are transformed by the urban landscape. The majority of permeable surfaces are converted to impervious ones, such as pavement, buildings, and residential developments with highly-compacted soils. This changes the area’s hydrology from a high infiltration – low runoff state to a low infiltration – high runoff state, which increases the volume of stormwater and snow melt traveling across surfaces where they would have otherwise been absorbed. Without the permeable land capacity to absorb it, stormwater will quickly pool on rooftops, streets, parking lots, and other impervious surfaces, collecting a variety of toxins and debris. Examples of common urban stormwater pollutants include petroleum-based oils, chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, insecticides, etc), solid waste, heavy metals, decomposing yard waste, and sediment. This pollution collection train is referred to as “non-point source” pollution and, when left untreated, is hazardous for local wildlife, aquatic environments, and human health.

Federal and State Response

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates storm water discharges through the National Pollution Detection Elimination System (NPDES) Program. Iowa and many other states have been authorized to administrate the NPDES program, which regulates non-point source pollutants through a multitude of permitting programs including Iowa City’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) Permit. These programs are managed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

What is Iowa City’s Part?

The MS4 Permit sets forth policies for the City to develop and regulate programs focusing on storm water practices. These programs and practices consist of educational outreach and involvement, illicit discharge detection and elimination, construction site runoff, post-construction storm water management, and pollution prevention. Each year the City submits an MS4 Annual Report to the Iowa DNR illustrating programs the City has implemented to satisfy policies set forth in the permit.

Below is a list of city stormwater programs:

Illicit Discharge Detection/Elimination Program – Reports the discharge of contaminants into the stormwater conveyance system.
- To report an illicit discharge or spill of chemicals, paints, concrete rinse water/slurry, or other contaminants, call ____________________.

Stormwater Quality Programs - Programs that have been developed to financially assist property owners to implement BMP’s pertaining to stormwater quality.
- Creekside Maintenance Program -Developed to provide financial assistance for property owners to perform Creekside maintenance. (online application submittal)
- Your Best Lawn Program – Soil Quality Restoration (SQR) – A multi-city and IDNR program to educate and financially assist property owners to achieve and sustain their best lawn and lower its chemicaldependence. (online application submittal)

Construction Permitting & – Provides the City of Iowa City Construction Runoff Permit (CSR) Stormwater Requirements requirements, for all land development projects (i.e. SWPPP design materials, good housekeeping practices.

Residential Good Housekeeping Practices– As a resident of the City, do your part in keeping the local waterways safe and clean of harmful pollutants by educating and applying stormwater quality practices during your daily and seasonal activities. These practices focus on proper disposal for yard waste, pet waste, and paint products. Also, proper application practices for fertilizers during spring and fall seasons, and deicer products for the winter season.

Storm Water Facility Maintenance – Storm water facilities are a major flood prevention component that are statically designed and located to reduce and minimize local flooding and storm water pollutants. However, if these facilities are not properly inspected and maintained it is the City’s inhabitants that absorb the costly runoff. As a property owner, homeowner association member, developer, etc. it is your responsibility to inspecting and maintaining any associated storm water facility (detention basin, retention basin, underground basin, bio-infiltration basin, etc.) located on your property or on a parcel owned by an association.

Sump Pump Discharge – Many properties throughout the city are naturally susceptible to a high volume of groundwater percolation resulting in an abundant amount of sump pump discharge. The consistence discharge of a sump pump can create a public nuisance, safety hazards, and destruction to public and private properties. To assist with this issue, the City has provided a couple of drainage techniques and /or stormwater practices for homeowners to utilize.

Sump Pump Discharge

The following basic requirements govern the discharge of water from residential sump pumps:

Discharges cannot create a public nuisance (ice build-up on streets, hazardous conditions on streets or sidewalks, etc.).
Discharges cannot be discharged to a sanitary sewer or to a floor drain.

The volume of water that accumulates in sump pits varies significantly from house to house and across the city. Most sump pumps discharge occasionally and more frequently during wet weather, however, in some situations sump pumps discharge on a regular basis regardless of the weather conditions. Pumps that discharge on a more frequent basis can cause a variety of problems.

Discharge locations can create a public nuisance where the water flows across public sidewalks, drives, and streets in-route to the storm sewer or other approved discharge point. Sump pump discharges result in the growth of algae or mold on sidewalks or streets and create slip hazards to pedestrians and bicycles.

When the accumulation of algae or water buildup creates hazards to the public that are not readily dissipated, they are considered public nuisances and must be abated within a reasonable period of time.

Solutions for Controlling Sump Pump Discharge Nuisances

Backyard

Direct the discharge to the backyard where it can harmlessly dissipate or soak into the ground. When the backyard has enough slope to provide a drainage swale at the rear of the lot, the sump pump discharge may be extended toward the rear of the lot. The drainage will flow along the drainage swales and dissipate before draining into the street.

Connection to the Public Storm Sewer System

When the discharges from sump pumps occur on the same side of the street as the public storm sewer, the property owner (or group of property owners) may extend the sump pump discharge pipes directly into the adjacent drain tile, storm sewer pipe, or nearby intake. When connecting to the public storm sewer system, the City of Iowa City Engineering Division must be contacted first for proper approval and permitting. The City of Iowa City also offers a drain tile program which may be able to provide a connection point in your area for such sump pump discharge.

Rain Gardens/Bio-retention Cells

Rain gardens are small depressed garden areas filled with moisture loving plants. Sump pump discharge is directed to these areas to facilitate infiltration. Information to help you size your rain garden and select plant material is available by contacting Chad Arp at 319-356-5158.

Request for City Assistance

If you would like more information regarding any of these possible solutions and would like suggestions or advice from the City of Iowa City for resolving discharge problems, contact Chad Arp at 319-356-5158.

Stormwater Regulations

Iowa City, IA

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