On November 7, 2017, voters approved the implementation of a stormwater fee to invest in our future for a sustainable and resilient stormwater system. Per ordinance, the City of Colorado Springs applies a fee to all residential units and developed or improved properties. The fee will be in effect until July 1, 2038. The revenues collected from these fees are used by the Stormwater Enterprise for planning, construction, operations, and maintenance of stormwater infrastructure, as well as for programs required to comply with the U.S. Clean Water Act.
An increase in stormwater fees has been approved by the City Council Resolution 27-21 to become effective July 1, 2021. To ease the transition to a sustainable fee, the increase will be implemented in three phases, as shown in the following schedule.
Monthly Fee |
Phase 1 2021 |
Phase 2 2022 |
Phase 3 2023* |
Residential / Unit | $7.00 | $7.50 | $8.00 |
Non-residential / Acre | $40.50 | $43.00 | $45.00 |
*Rates are effective July 1 each year. Following July the rate is anticipated to remain fixed through 2038.
Federal and state regulations require the City of Colorado Springs address pollution carried by stormwater runoff and deposited into local creeks and streams. The City of Colorado Springs has three main obligations to which we are legally bound: the Pueblo County and Colorado Springs inter-governmental agreement, the federal and state stormwater permit compliance, and the 2021 federal consent decree. The increase to current stormwater fees is necessary to meet current regulations, as well as the new federal consent decree requirements.
All fees will be used only for the stormwater program:
Residents with active service through Colorado Springs Utilities will be billed the stormwater fee on their monthly utility bill. The stormwater fee is a monthly charge and is not dependent on usage or occupancy.
Customers who are serviced by Colorado Springs Utilities but who do not live in Colorado Springs will not have to pay the fee. The fee only applies to properties within the geographic city limits of Colorado Springs.
Residents without an active service agreement with Springs Utilities will be billed directly by the City of Colorado Springs through a separate billing agency.
Direct Billed:
Billed through Colorado Springs Utilities: