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1. Why am I charged a stormwater fee?

Stormwater fees have been assigned to all properties within Spokane County’s identified Stormwater Service Area, "SWSA" since 1993.  Properties within this unincorporated area are charged an annual fee to provide funding for stormwater management plans and basic stormwater services, such as maintaining County-owned drainage systems and natural drainageways that flow in or through the SWSA.  The County owns over 10,000 drainage structures that mainly serve roadways.  Maintenance of private drainage systems are the responsibility of property owners.

For the most part, stormwater from County roads flows into facilities such as ditches, drywells or swales, that allows infiltration into the ground.  The stormwater eventually infiltrates the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, the sole source of drinking water for the greater Spokane area, or around 400,000 residents.

The Stormwater Utility is responsible for overseeing the requirements of the County’s NPDES permit, or National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, which includes public education, inspection of County maintenance and other facilities to eliminate practices that may pollute our water, training of maintenance and construction personnel to assure they are up to date on special requirements of the permit, and much more.  The Utility employs 6.5 full-time employees and also designs and manages multiple construction and maintenance projects and contracts each year.

REPORT POLLUTANTS IN STORM DRAINS OR PUBLIC STREETS BY CALLING (509)477-7525.

2. How are stormwater fees calculated?

Average single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes are charged a flat fee per unit per year. Other properties are charged based on the amount of hard surface (rooftop, parking lot, gravel, storage lot, areas where the natural vegetation has been disturbed for parking, driving, etc.) on the property. View more information about the Stormwater Fees.

3. Why has my stormwater fee changed?

If additional structures or impervious surfaces have been added to the property, the stormwater charge will increase. Periodically, the county receives new data, such as aerial photographs, which are used to update the billing for properties such as farms.

4. Who can I talk to about general concerns regarding flooding in my neighborhood?

Please use the Help Form to leave your contact information and a general description of your concern. Someone from the Stormwater Utility Section will contact you. You can also call our office 509-477-3600 during regular business hours.

5. How do I report a flooding problem on my property or in my home?

Each situation is unique, please use the Help Form to provide detailed information regarding your situation, or call 509-477-3600 to report the problem.

6. Who do I report a drainage or flooding concern, that isn't on my property, to?

If a storm drain in front of your house does not work properly and causes water to pond in the roadway and adjacent area, please use the Help Form, or call 509-477-3600 to report the problem.

Fill out the Help Form.

7. Where can I find the Spokane Regional Stormwater Manual?

The Spokane Regional Stormwater Manual (SRSM) was adopted on June 1, 2008 and will be applied to new projects as of that date. The SRSM is considered an equivalent manual to the Stormwater Management Manual for Eastern Washington (published by Department of Ecology in September 2004) and replaces the Spokane County Guidelines for Stormwater Management.

View the Stormwater Manual (PDF)