Frequently Asked Questions

Stormwater is rain and snowmelt that flows off rooftops, driveways, streets, and open land instead of soaking into the ground. In Inver Grove Heights, that runoff is directed into a managed system of pipes, ponds, ditches, culverts, and drainageways that carry water safely to designated waterways, including ponds, wetlands, and ultimately the Mississippi River.

The stormwater utility funds the planning, maintenance, repair, and improvement of this system. It also supports compliance with state and federal water quality requirements.

Stormwater utility activities include:

• Cleaning and repairing pipes, culverts, and ditches
• Maintaining ponds and wetlands
• Erosion and sediment control inspections
• Street sweeping
• Storm sewer inspections and repairs
• Pond and basin cleaning
• Ditch mowing, grading, and stabilization
• Planning for future growth and heavier rain and snowmelt events

Without regular maintenance, heavy rain and snowmelt can lead to flooding, erosion, road damage, and costly emergency repairs. A well-maintained system helps protect homes, businesses, public spaces, and natural resources across the city.

Stormwater rates support a citywide system that benefits the entire community. Rates are also being updated to create a simpler, more transparent, and more equitable system that better reflects how properties contribute to runoff. The previous structure includes 45 different billing rates and custom rates for approximately 200 properties, often with limited or no documentation. This complexity makes the system difficult to explain, administer, and evaluate for fairness.

Using updated technology, the City can now more accurately measure property size and impervious surface areas such as rooftops, driveways, and parking lots. In 2025, a citizen focus group spent six months reviewing rate options and their impacts. They recommended a streamlined structure that is easier to administer and more consistently applied.

Analysis shows that up to one acre of a residential property in Inver Grove Heights typically contains a similar amount of impervious surface, regardless of where it is located in the city.

Because of this, the updated structure establishes a flat rate for the first acre to promote fairness and consistency.

Residential properties larger than one acre generally include more natural or pervious space beyond that first acre. While those areas still generate some runoff, they typically contribute less and are therefore charged at a lower rate.

In keeping the gross and impervious surface area structure, non-residential bills are established based on multiplying both gross (total) area and impervious (hard surfaces) area by their respective unit rates. Unit rates are established by distributing revenue requirements amongst the total area and impervious area of the city, regardless of zoning or land use classifications.

2026 Residential Annual Rate

• $75 flat rate for the first acre
• $0.50 per 1,000 square feet of net area in excess of the first acre

2026 Non-Residential Annual Rate

• $11.96 per 1,000 square feet of impervious surface
• $0.50 per 1,000 square feet of gross area
• Subject to a $75 minimum

Adjustments to stormwater utility rates can only be made by the City Council and are reviewed annually as part of the City's budget process

The new rate structure goes into effect on July 1 and will appear on the next utility bill after that date. If you are currently billed on a quarterly or monthly basis, that will stay the same. If you are currently billed annually for stormwater, your billing cycle will adjust to a quarterly cycle.

Watch for a custom mailing in June with specifics about your rate change and what to expect.

Like many communities, the City is experiencing rising construction and maintenance costs. Portions of the stormwater system are aging and require increased attention to remain reliable.

Current funding does not fully cover long-term system needs. Over time, this has contributed to:

• A growing backlog of deferred maintenance
• Reliance on non-utility funding sources
• A complex rate structure that is difficult to administer
• Inconsistencies across properties that reduce transparency

Addressing these issues now helps reduce the risk of more expensive emergency repairs in the future and supports long-term system sustainability.

Yes. Stormwater infrastructure protects the roads you travel on, the neighborhoods you pass through, and the areas you enjoy throughout the community. Rural areas rely on ditches, culverts, ponds, and natural channels to keep roads and driveways passable and maintain safe access to schools, businesses, and emergency services. Rural rooftops, driveways, and packed gravel roads still create runoff, and many ponds and ditches are still maintained by the City as part of the stormwater system.

Maintaining this infrastructure in both rural and urban parts of the city reduces erosion along roads, prevents localized flooding, and ensures residents in rural areas enjoy safe access and reliable connections, just like those in urban neighborhoods.

Water and sewer utilities manage the water you use inside your home or business.

Stormwater manages rain and snowmelt that fall across the community. It protects streets, neighborhoods, rural roads, and natural areas from flooding and erosion and helps maintain water quality in local ponds, wetlands, and rivers.

Stormwater is funded separately because it serves all properties, regardless of water use.

Even if your property hasn’t flooded, stormwater management is working behind the scenes to protect the community. Roads, neighborhoods, and waterways are part of a connected network, and runoff from one area can affect others. A well-maintained system reduces the risk of future flooding, prevents costly emergency repairs, and keeps the community functioning smoothly for everyone.

Delaying maintenance increases the risk of:

• Flooded streets
• Road and infrastructure damage
• Erosion along ditches and slopes
• Higher emergency repair costs

Proactive maintenance costs less over time and helps avoid disruptions to neighborhoods, travel routes, and city services.

Please call the City of Inver Grove Heights at 651-450-2500.