Stormwater Utility FAQs

A Stormwater Utility provides a fairer way to pay for the County’s stormwater management program, based on the amount of hard surfaces (impervious area) on a property and the usage of the storm system. A property’s impervious area is a better measure of how much stormwater runoff each property generates, as opposed to the property assessment.

Under a Stormwater Utility, a property’s impervious coverage is estimated using the County’s digital mapping system (GIS). The median impervious coverage for single-family detached properties in Arlington has been calculated to be 2,400 square feet. This is called an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) and is used as the billing unit. Properties will be charged based on how many ERUs are on the property. The County Board will adopt the annual ERU rate each year during the budget process. For Calendar Year 2024 (the first year the utility was billed), the rate was set during fall 2023 at $258 for one ERU.

Impervious areas (IA) are hard surfaces that significantly prevent water from seeping into the soil. Impervious surfaces include roofs, buildings, streets, parking areas, driveways, and any concrete, asphalt, or compacted gravel surface. 

Outlines of the impervious area on a property are developed from aerial maps and geographic information system (GIS) data. A GIS technician manually reviews the imagery and outlines impervious areas as defined by County policies. That information is combined with GIS parcel data, resulting in an outline of impervious area on each parcel. The GIS software then calculates the impervious area on the parcel based on that outline. County GIS staff perform regular maintenance of the impervious area based on updated aerial imagery, building permits, and other sources.

Yes, the Stormwater Utility fee replaced the sanitary district tax. Since 2008, Arlington’s stormwater program had been funded through a Sanitary District Tax, which is based on a property’s assessed value. The current Stormwater fee is $0.017 per $100 of assessed value. However, a property’s assessed value doesn't correlate well to the amount of runoff a property generates. Beginning in 2024, the County changed to a Stormwater Utility fee based on the amount of impervious area on a property (hard surfaces like roofs and driveways that don’t let rain runoff soak into the ground). Customers received the first real estate bill with the Stormwater Utility fee in May 2024.

Arlington’s stormwater program through Dec. 31, 2023 was funded through a Sanitary District Tax based on a property’s assessed value. The final Stormwater fee was set at $0.017 per $100 of assessed value. An average property had paid about $136 per year under the Sanitary District Tax. However, a property’s assessed value didn't correlate well to the amount of runoff a property generates.

Arlington’s stormwater programs are part of the Office of Sustainability and Environmental Management in the Department of Environmental Services including water quality regulations, planning, engineering, construction, stormwater infrastructure, and incentive and outreach programs. Learn more about the County’s stormwater management program.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality issues permits for the discharge of stormwater into waterways like Four Mile Run and the Potomac River. These permits, called municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permits, are good for five years. Arlington’s current MS4 permit (VPDES Permit No. VA 0088579) was issued on July 1, 2021.

The previous Sanitary District Tax and the current Stormwater Utility fee generate all of the funding to support these programs. The Stormwater Utility fee is calculated on a cost recovery basis – fees are set to generate the necessary revenue for the stormwater management program.

More information about the stormwater management program’s budget can be found here starting on page 805.

Changing to a Stormwater Utility did not generate more funding for the stormwater program. However, based upon projected funding needs for stormwater projects in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), we do anticipate that over the next 10 years there will have to be rate increases to support the debt service on bonds issued to address the substantial upgrades to the stormwater system. The Utility fee will be adjusted each year based upon generating sufficient funding to cover the budgeted expenditures, including debt service, operating and maintenance activities, utility administration overhead, and the capital program.

The Stormwater Utility fee is included on property owners’ twice annual real estate tax bill as a separate line item. Real estate taxes are due June 15 and Oct. 5 of each year.

If property owners have a mortgage on their property, the property tax bill will continue to be sent to their mortgage company. The mortgage company will pay the fee from the escrow account.

After a public hearing held March 2023, the County Board approved a resolution on April 22, 2023, stating its intent to adopt a Stormwater Utility. Another public hearing was before the Board on Dec. 16, 2023, and the Board officially adopted the utility, ordinances, and set the Calendar Year 2024 utility rate at $258 per Equivalent Residential Unit (equal to 2,400 square feet of impervious area). There was an extensive engagement process leading up to and following the resolution vote in April 2023.

Yes, stormwater fee-based programs are promoted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and authorized by the Commonwealth of Virginia as a way of providing dedicated funding for water resources and stormwater management. Stormwater fee-based programs have been used since 1974, and there are currently over 1,500 stormwater fee-based programs in the country. In the surrounding area, D.C., Prince George's County, the Cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Manassas, Fairfax, and Manassas Park all have Stormwater Utility fees in place.

Everyone will pay a Stormwater Utility fee based on the amount of impervious area (IA) on their property because all property owners benefit from a properly maintained and operated stormwater management system.  Some key benefits include reduced flooding; reduced property damage; protection of critical infrastructure (such as electrical, communications, drinking water, wastewater); safe transportation for residents; improved quality of life; cleaner streams; restored water habitat; and compliance with Federal and State regulations for water quality improvements.

Stormwater is an issue that extends far beyond one immediate residence or business and a robust stormwater management program provides benefits to the overall community in which you live, work, and play.

For an average homeowner, the Calendar Year 2023 sanitary district tax of $0.017 per $100 of assessed valuation equates to $136 per year for a median single-family home valued at $798,500. Under a Stormwater Utility, 86% of single-family (attached and detached) homeowners will be charged 1 ERU or less. The equivalent Stormwater Utility fee rate for Calendar Year 2024 for one ERU is $258 per year.

Learn more about the rate structure for single-family attached and detached homes.

Decks are counted as impervious area (IA) if they have a patio or other hard surface underneath.

Gravel driveways are considered impermeable surfaces due to the compaction required for them to be usable and because they prevent infiltration, which results in stormwater flowing off these surfaces at a higher rate than pervious surfaces. The County is following a nationally accepted standard by classifying gravel as impervious. In Virginia, the Department of Environmental Quality publishes the Virginia Stormwater Management Handbook, which defines impervious as, “a surface composed of any material that significantly impedes or prevents natural infiltration of water into soil.”

Permeable and impermeable surfaces are not distinguishable on the GIS maps, so all paved surfaces are counted in the total impervious area (IA) for the property. Voluntary credits will be available for permeable driveways and parking lots; however permeable patios and pavers are not eligible for credit. Mandatory stormwater credit is also available for permeable pavements installed as mitigation for development under a Land Disturbing Activity (LDA) permit. If property owners follow the established stormwater facility inspection and maintenance requirements, they will get automatic Stormwater Utility credit applied to their bill for permeable pavement.

A swimming pool is considered an impervious surface because it is a structure that does not allow water to seep through its walls or bottom. This means that when it rains, the water will stay on the surface of the pool rather than seeping into the ground like other pervious surfaces.

For multi-family properties, including condos, the Utility fee is billed a flat fee of 0.18 ERU per unit.

The Stormwater Utility fee is included on the real estate statement; therefore, it goes to the owner of the property. Visit this link for more information: https://arlingtonva.us/stormwaterutilityestimator.

Under the Sanitary District Tax, properties with a high assessed value paid a higher stormwater tax, even if they had less impervious area (IA) on their lot. That is because there is no correlation between real estate assessment and the amount of runoff from the property. In Arlington, commercial properties with a high property value are typically high-rise buildings with multiple stories (a more efficient use of the impervious footprint), so they pay less under the Stormwater Utility than under a Sanitary District Tax.

No, you do not need to apply separately for the 100% stormwater fee relief; it will automatically be applied for residents who qualify and are receiving these real property tax deferrals and exemptions.

Some organizations, such as faith-based organizations and non-profits, were exempt from paying the old Sanitary District Tax. By State Code, they are no longer exempt under the Stormwater Utility. Starting in 2024, the fee for these organizations depends on the amount of impervious area (i.e., number of ERUs) on their property. The adopted rate of one ERU is $258/year.

County properties are exempt from paying this fee because the County holds a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit. The fees do not apply to every organization. A small number of property types are waived by Virginia law, such as public rights-of-way and properties covered by their own MS4 permit. With a Stormwater Utility, most properties, including untaxed properties, are charged the fee, which ensures that all properties that contribute to stormwater impacts are paying their fair share towards the stormwater management program.

The acceptable reasons for filing a dispute application are as follows:

(1) an error was made regarding the square footage of impervious area

(2) an error was made regarding the number of units for Multi-Family (MF) property

(3) an error regarding customer class

(4) fee for property should be waived based on Section 26-120 of County Code

(5) an approved credit was incorrectly applied

Disputes may only be submitted within 45 days of the bill issuance.

Dispute submissions must be filed through the

tool on the County website.

The deadline is July 15 for the bill due on June 26 and Oct. 20 for the bill due Oct. 5.

The property owner should submit any photos, aerial images, GIS imagery, or appropriate supporting documentation that supports their dispute. The County may require an inspection to assist in making a decision. Denial of access for such inspection may result in denial of the property owner’s dispute.

There is a 45-calendar day timeline for a dispute decision. If more information is needed by the County to make a decision, the 45-days will begin once all requested information has been received by the County. If the information requested is not provided to the County within 10-calendar days of the original request, the dispute will be considered withdrawn.

The acceptable reasons for an appeal to a dispute application must relate to the impervious area calculation or the customer class. The property owner may appeal a dispute decision to the Department of Environmental Services Budget and Finance Division Chief for further determination.

Appeal submissions must be filed through the “Report a Problem” tool on the County website.

The decision on a Stormwater Bill Appeal made by the Department of Environmental Services Budget and Finance Division Chief is a final decision from which the property owner may then appeal to the Circuit Court of Arlington, Virginia.

The Fee Estimator is a tool that lets property owners see the estimated impervious cover and number of ERUs on their property. Learn more and view the tool at https://arlingtonva.us/stormwaterutilityestimator.

View the Fee Estimator map at this link.

Search by Address:   

1. Enter an address. 

2. There may be two or more results:

• Arlington Geocoder:  Address Location
• Property Fee Data:  Estimated Annual Fee

Click on a Parcel:

A pop up will appear displaying the estimated Stormwater Utility fee information.  If there is more than one record for the parcel, use the address drop down in the pop up to select the desired address.  Or click on the Next to scroll through the associated records.  

                                  

Turn Layers On and Off:   

Select the Layers tab to view the available layers.  The layers can be turned on or off.

To zoom to the full extent of the map, click on  

Zoom to Full Extent:  

To interactively pan around the map, click on:   

  Pan:

 

An ERU is the billing unit for a Stormwater Utility. One ERU is the median impervious coverage for single-family detached properties in Arlington, which is estimated to be 2,400 square feet. A fee for one ERU will be established for the Stormwater Utility based on the adopted budget each year and properties would be charged based on how many ERUs are on the property. The Utility fee rate of one ERU is $258/year in Calendar Year 2024.

The ERU is considered the industry best practice for billing because it represents the typical impact of a single-family home's IA footprint and establishes a consistent billing measure across the residential and non-residential customer classes. Using a rate structure based on ERUs and residential tiering also reduces the cost and administrative burden of implementing the stormwater program.

Learn more about the Stormwater Utility Credit Program, where property owners can receive reductions for some types of permeable surfaces and actions taken to reduce runoff on their property.

Any property owner may request an adjustment to their Stormwater Utility fee by submitting a dispute application on our website. The deadline is July 15 for the bill due on June 26 and Oct. 20 for the bill due Oct. 5. A denial of a credit application is not subject to appeal.

The proposed rate structure for single family-detached properties has several tiers, with the initial tier of 0.6 ERU for properties with less than 1,600 feet of impervious area. Tier 2 properties have between 1,600-3,600 square feet of impervious area are charged 1.0 ERU. Tier 3 properties are between 3,600 and 4,800 sq feet of impervious area are charged 1.7 ERU. Single family-detached properties with more than 4,800 square feet of impervious area are treated the same as Non-Residential properties, whereby they are charged per ERU.

See the table on this page for the proposed rate structure.

The development of the Stormwater Utility is still underway. If a property is made up of multiple parcels, the ERU information is associated with the main parcel and the related parcels are shown with 0 ERUs. If we do not have information for a parcel yet, it is shown as TBD.

The County uses a one-stop online platform to track requests for various services. During the annual Stormwater Utility credit application period from Nov. 1 – Jan. 31, property owners will have the option to submit a “Stormwater Voluntary Credit Application” on this page: arlingtonva.us/Government/Topics/Report-Problem.

For additional information about the credit program and what is required, visit arlingtonva.us/stormwaterutilitycredit and view our step-by-step instructions.

We do not offer partial credits. You must fully meet all requirements and minimum thresholds to receive a credit.

Each voluntary credit action requires its own Stormwater Voluntary Credit Application. Multiple credits cannot be applied for on the same application. Get started with your application here.

You can set up an account on our online service request platform. An account is not required to submit a voluntary credit application; however, it is highly recommended. With an account, you will receive updates on the status of your application, edit your submission if additional information is required, and receive the determination letter(s) related to your submission. If you have an account, you can go to “My Service Requests” to view your service request submission and the progress. See how to set up an account using our step-by-step instructions.

No, stormwater management facilities required by your LDA permit are only eligible for Mandatory Structural credits. These facilities can't receive additional credits from the voluntary action section.

LDA projects must be complete and approved on or before June 30 each year to be eligible for the next calendar year. If complete and approved after June 30, you will receive credit the subsequent calendar year.

A credit program is required for any jurisdiction that creates a Stormwater Utility in Virginia.  The credit program is a way to say "thank you" for doing certain environmentally friendly activities, such as installing a permeable driveway, rain gardens, planting trees, native plantings, etc.  Because the total amount of the Stormwater fee is relatively low for most property owners compared to the costs of stormwater projects, the credit has a relatively long return on investment.  

Since the Stormwater Utility credits reduce the amount of fees collected which funds the program, Stormwater Utility credits are usually a relatively modest reduction for individual properties (typically credit programs comprise under 1% of Utility fee revenues).  If stormwater credits were increased, an increase to Stormwater Utility fees could occur in order that the appropriate amount of revenue is still generated to sufficiently fund debt service, all programs and projects.

No, simply claiming an existing natural area as conservation landscaping without converting lawn or impervious surface to the conservation landscape will not be granted credit.

No, not all rainwater collection systems are eligible for voluntary credit. Ineligible systems include French drains, dry wells, and underground systems that are filled with stone or gravel. If you have one of these systems, or any other kind, and it does not have stone or gravel, you may be eligible for credit. You will be asked to provide inspection reports, contractor receipts/invoices, and photos. Please refer to the Stormwater Credit manual for further instructions on how to qualify for the rainwater collection system voluntary credit.

If your voluntary action was funded through the StormwaterWise Landscapes program, it is not eligible for voluntary stormwater credit. 

No, you may spread the 30 hours across multiple events. Be sure to document the event details, including location, date, and hours spent, using the stormwater utility volunteer form. Additionally, you must provide photographs.

No, it is not mandatory for all volunteers to belong to the organization that owns the property. However, volunteers do need to obtain permission from the property owner. It is strongly advised to keep a record of the email correspondence pertaining to the authorization granted for work on the property.

Please use the County provided Stormwater Utility volunteer activity form available on the stormwater utility website. You must bring a copy of your volunteer activity form with you to the event to receive proper documentation. Additionally, you must take before and after photos at the event. Please refer to the credit manual for documentation details for each activity type.

No, participation is not required to be at a County-led event. You may organize your own invasive removal on private property or non-County Park land. Please send an email to jsoles@arlingtonva.us and stormwaterutility@arlingtonva.us with the location and information about your activity.

The County’s Remove Invasive Plants program organizes multiple invasive removal events every month.  If you participate in one of these events, you must bring a copy of the Stormwater Utility volunteer activity form to the event to receive proper documentation.

If you are organizing a stream cleanup or invasive removal on private property or non-County park land, please send an email to jsoles@arlingtonva.us and stormwaterutility@arlingtonva.us with the location and information about your activity. 

Individuals or groups may "adopt" a specific section of road committing to maintaining the street, curb, and storm drain free from trash and debris for a total of 30 hours. You must take before and after photos for proper documentation. Please refer to the Step-by-Step instructions for help.

You may earn credit by contacting County staff to schedule your event. They will provide materials, training, and the event location. You must track the marked storm drains on the provided map and retain email exchanges with County staff for documentation. Then, record volunteer hours on the sign-in sheet, including participant names and date, and take a photo of the event. Upon completion, return any leftover materials and the map to County staff. Lastly, you must submit your volunteer sign-in sheet, a copy of the map, and the event photo to complete your voluntary stormwater credit application.

Arlington County’s Park Services regularly hosts events, such as invasive plant removal, which qualifies for Stormwater Utility credit! Please note that this credit is not applicable for individual homeowners.

Unfortunately, detention systems are not eligible for voluntary Stormwater Utility credit. These systems were mandated as part of the developer’s permit requirements, making them non-voluntary. As a result, including them for credit would incur additional costs for homeowners which would far exceed the potential credit savings.