What is the Surface Water Drainage Utility System?
The McKinney City Council voted March 5, 2002 to approve the "Surface Water Drainage Utility System,"
a plan to fund drainage maintenance and improvements for the City's efforts to help prevent future flooding of and standing
water in creeks, drainageways and culverts.
What types of projects would be included?
Drainage improvements that can be funded under the new Surface Water Drainage Utility System would include:
- Cleaning out creeks, ditches and culverts;
- Erosion control;
- Runoff water quality improvements; and
- Construction of drainage facilities.
Initially, funding will be concentrated on maintenance of creeks and ditches to keep the drainage system flowing freely.
What are the benefits of the plan?
A well maintained drainage system prevents flooding, but can also positively affect the quality of the evironment in another way.
Code Services Manager Lori Dees said that standing water could foster an infestation of mosquitoes. "Every spring, we tell residents
to keep their yards clear of standing water, because mosquitoes will breed there," she said. "By preventing standing water in ditches,
for example, the City is providing a natural deterrent to this persistent pest."
How much will you pay?
To fund these types of projects, the following fees have been set and are effective October 1, 2007:
Residential Fee
Each house, apartment and duplex, regardless of size, will be charged $2.75 per month for the Storm Water Drainage Utility System.
The charge will be included on his or her water bill statement.
The residential fee will be $2.75 per month.
Commercial Fee
The fee for commercial and industrial properties is based on the amount of "impervious area," where water is not readily absorbed,
such as roofs, driveways and parking lots. The fee will be calculated on the following formula.
(square feet of impervious area / 2,343*) X $2.75 = monthly fee
*Note: The amount of 2,343 is the average square-footage of impervious area on a residential lot. That figure was used to determine
the monthly proportionate fee for non-residential property.
Example: If a business property has 10,000 square feet of impervious area, the company would pay $11.74 a month to the Surface Water Drainage
Utility Syste.
(10,000 / 2,343) X $2.75 = $11.74 a month
The maximum monthly fee for a commercial or industrial property will be $200.
Why is the City doing this?
Implemenation of the Surface Water Drainage Utility System will also help position McKinney ahead of federal mandates. These regulations,
overseen by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, require cities with populations
over 50,000 (like McKinney) to develop a plan to improve water quality in lakes and streams by addressing drainage and water runoff.
Is any property exempted from this fee?
The following types of properties would be exempted from the fee:
- Independant school districts
- The City of McKinney; and
- All property in a natural state.
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