Northlake council adopts $5/month stormwater fee to fund Clean Water Act compliance

After a public hearing, the Northlake Town Council adopted a stormwater drainage fee of $5 per month per residential water account to fund a new stormwater program required under the federal Clean Water Act. Staff told the council the fee is expected to generate roughly $400,000 and will be used to establish a dedicated program — including hiring a stormwater inspector, funding capital projects and covering program administration — rather than continuing to fund those costs from the general fund.

Staff said the town had been covering stormwater compliance costs with property tax revenue in prior budgets and that adopting the fee will free general‑fund revenue for other core services such as police and roads. The presentation explained the fee calculation (based on a 5,000‑square‑foot residential equivalent) and an approach for commercial accounts using impervious‑area conversion. Staff also outlined pilot projects and example uses such as street sweepers, drainage repairs and public education campaigns to prevent pollutants from entering storm drains.

Public commenters objected that the cost should come from the general fund and questioned whether the town could find cuts instead. Council members acknowledged these concerns but described the requirement as an unfunded federal mandate and said failing to create the dedicated program would force cuts to essential services. The council approved the fee unanimously and directed staff to include explanatory inserts and outreach so residents understand the reason for the new line item on water bills.