In 2010, the City of Prescott established a storm water utility .  The utility is designed to assist with the management of storm water and other surface water discharges within the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers.  Management of storm water is a matter that affects the health, safety and welfare of the city, its citizens, businesses, and others in the surrounding area.  Failure to effectively manage storm water affects the sanitary sewer utility operations of the city by increasing the likelihood of infiltration and inflow into the sanitary sewer systems.  Surface water runoff may cause erosion of lands, threaten residences and businesses with water damage, and create environmental damage to the rivers adjacent to the city.  A system for the collection and disposal of storm water provides services to all properties within the city.

Stormwater utility charges are billed as a line item on the City of Prescott water utility bill.  Single family residential, duplex, and three-plex units shall be charged for one equivalent runoff unit (ERU) per unit.  Multiple residentital units shall be charged one ERU times a factor obtained by dividing the total impervious area of the residential poreprty by the square footage equivalent for one ERU.  Nonresidential units shall be charged one ERU times a factor obtained by dividing the total impervious area of the nonresidential property by the square footage equivalent for one ERU.  The minimum ERU for any parcel or unit will be .5 ERU.

Credits may be considered for multiple residentail and nonresidential cusomters who own and properly maintain on-site storm water managemetn systems that both mitigate flood impacts and provide adequate treatment of pollutants in storm water runoff utilitzing a design that has been approvde by the Public Works Director.  An application for a credit may be obtained from the Public Works Director.