Beginning July 1, 2018 Colorado Springs voter-supported stormwater fee will go into effect to fund critical stormwater infrastructure and maintenance operations for the city’s stormwater system by establishing  a dedicated source to provide sustainable funding to meet capital construction needs, maintenance and operation of the stormwater system, costs of administration and enforcement of its MS4 Permit. 

The stormwater fee will generate funding for critical stormwater infrastructure and maintenance operation of the City's stormwater program. 

The fee will sunset after 20 years on June 30, 2038.

How the Revenue from the Fee Will Be Spent

All fees will be used only for the stormwater program:

• stormwater capital needs
• operation and maintenance
• MS4 Permit compliance
• compliance with intergovernmental agreements entered into before June 1, 2016.

No stormwater funds will be spent for projects outside city limits and all projects directly impact COS residents and ultimately our downstream communities.

The stormwater program involves meeting capital construction needs such as detention facilities, the maintenance and operation of the stormwater system, and costs of administration and enforcement of the MS4 Permit. This includes holding developers accountable for their drainage obligations.

The City of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Utilities and Pueblo County signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement April 28, 2016 committing spending for stormwater infrastructure, maintenance and education programs in the amount of $460 million over the next two decades (contingent on annual appropriations) to improve the City’s stormwater system.

Capital projects are planned to be completed within the 20 year timeframe.  However, the MS4 obligations and operation and maintenance of our City's stormwater system will continue into the future beyond the 20 year timeframe.  Any overlap of funding will be used solely for those stormwater requirements that must still be met after the terms of the IGA are satisfied. Funding of the City’s stormwater program and MS4 obligations will always be a requirement.

How the Fee Will Be Collected

The City has partnered with Colorado Springs Utilities to administer the monthly residential fee on behalf of the City of Colorado Springs as it is the most cost effective billing mechanism and the billing infrastructure is already in place.