The Stormwater Remediation Fee Regulations, updated September 2017, outline the regulations and terms of Baltimore City's stormwater fee, and includes:

• Definition of terms;
• Calculation of stormwater remediation base fee;
• Billing procedures;
• Exemptions; and
• Credits

More information, including links to documents explaining the exemptions and credits, are below.

Since 2013 Baltimore City has operated a Stormwater utility that is funded by property owners in the City. The City’s Stormwater fees are based on the amount of impervious area on a property. Impervious surfaces, such as roofs, sidewalks, and driveways, block water from infiltrating the ground. They increase runoff to our storm drains, and transport a variety of pollutants to bodies of water.

The primary expenses paid for with this fee are maintaining, operating, and improving the Stormwater management system, and reducing pollutants. This includes capital improvements for stormwater management, and operation and maintenance of stormwater management systems and facilities. Additional information on how the Stormwater Utility Funds are used can be found in the Financial Assurance Plan and the MS4 Annual Reports.

The Stormwater fee appears as a line item on the monthly water bills. You may apply for Stormwater fee credits for your single-family property or for other kinds of properties. You can find the impervious area on any property in the City by using our Stormwater Fee Finder. 

Single-family properties are charged one of three rates:

• Tier 1 properties have no more than 820 square feet of impervious surface area, and pay $52 per year ($4.33 each month)
• Tier 2 properties have more than 820 square feet but no more than 1,500 square feet of impervious surface area, and pay $78 per year ($6.50 each month).
• Tier 3 properties have more than 1,500 square feet of impervious surface area, and pay $156 per year ($13 each month).

For more information download the Single Family Property Guidance Document. 

Non-single family properties are billed based on a measure called an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU), which is the size of the impervious surface area (1,050 square feet) of the median-sized house in the City. The larger the impervious surface area of a parcel, the higher the stormwater fee for the property. Non-single family properties pay $78 per ERU per year.

For more information download the Non-Single Family Property Guidance Document.