Stormwater In Our Community

The City’s stormwater system is mapped and inventoried within the geographical information system (GIS). The GIS is made up of the following treatment and discharge structures:

• 611 ponds (including dry detention and wet retention areas)
• Approximately 75 miles of storm pipes
• Approximately 2,680 roadside inlets 
• 11 miles of ditch lines and natural streams 
• 1 FEMA identified floodway
• 31 major outfall points that discharge to wetlands, rivers or other surface waters

The stormwater crew is tasked with maintenance and repair to the City’s stormwater system. Storm pipes are inspected and cleaned routinely to ensure functionality. Best management practices, such as the in-house street sweeping program and the Jet Vac truck, are used to help reduce harmful nutrients from reaching our waterways. A drone is flown annually to inspect Sweetwater Creek, a designated floodway. This method assists the stormwater crew in areas of dense vegetation where it is not possible to perform visual inspections. Lake levels are recorded and water quality testing is conducted.

The City is permitted through the FDEP NPDES program to discharge stormwater into four watersheds (Lake Jesup, Howell Creek, Little Econlockhatchee River and Big Econlockhatchee River). A watershed is an area of land that channels rainfall to creeks, streams and rivers that eventually outflow to points such as reservoirs, bays and the ocean. 

Stormwater is designed to flow a certain way. Any changes that alter the drainage pattern or filling in low lying areas, even slightly, can create a nuisance ponding effect or even flooding.

Help Prevent Stormwater Pollution

• Do not wash debris, leaves or any type of chemical into the street or into a storm drain. This can cause blockages in the storm system and be harmful to our wetlands, waterways and wildlife.
• Keep neighborhood pond perimeters clear of debris and litter. Plastic bottles and balls can become lodged in outfall structures and cause flooding during storms.
• Pick up after your pet. The fecal matter left behind is one of the main pollutants causing high nitrogen, phosphorous and harmful bacteria in our lakes and rivers. High levels of these nutrients damage our natural vegetation, create algae blooms and degrades the level of recreational water making it dangerous for swimming and fishing. See Ordinance No. 1583 Pet Waste.
• Fertilize responsibly. It is prohibited and unlawful for fertilizer containing nitrogen or phosphorus to be applied to turf or landscape plants from June 1 through September 30 of each year. See Ordinance No. 1657 Use of Fertilizers.
• Maintaining septic systems to ensure functionality should be done at a minimum of every three years.
• Wash your vehicle at a commercial car wash. These are designed with wastewater tanks that catch soaps and chemicals instead of discharging into the neighborhood drain.

report a concern

Please help us identify a problem by submitting concerns to Fix It Form.