Stormwater

 

The City recently sent out invoices for the stormwater utility fee from a third-party vendor. You can pay the bill via the payment link below. Questions? Call 303-705-0210.

PAY STORMWATER UTILITY FEE

Stormwater Management

To cover the costs of managing and maintaining stormwater infrastructure, residents and commercial property owners pay an annual stormwater utility fee. This annual fee provides dedicated funding for the City's management of stormwater system infrastructure.

Many property owners formerly paid a stormwater fee as a part of their water bill from the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District (CPNMD). However, when the City began operating and maintaining the public stormwater system in early 2023, CPNMD ceased collection of a stormwater fee. The City began collecting a citywide stormwater fee for the second half of 2023. Moving forward, the fee will be collected on an annual basis.

The stormwater utility fee allows the City to provide an upgraded, consistent service across the entire city. Collecting a stormwater utility fee aligns with other Front Range municipalities and enables the City to ensure proper funding levels to meet stormwater system infrastructure needs moving forward.

Stormwater is rain or snowmelt that falls on streets, parking areas, rooftops, and other developed land and is not absorbed into the ground. As the stormwater flows over driveways, lawns, and sidewalks, it picks up debris, chemicals, and other pollutants. The stormwater either flows directly into nearby bodies of water or travels through the drainage systems to get there. Storm drains are not part of the sewer system, so water in storm drains is not treated before entering streams, rivers, or lakes.

By managing stormwater, communities are better able to protect our environment, reduce flooding, support healthier streams and rivers, and create healthier, more sustainable communities.

The City of Castle Pines is committed to maintaining a proactive stormwater management program to improve the quality of runoff entering the storm drain system and receiving streams. The program plays a critical role in controlling flooding, enhancing safety, protecting the environment, and meeting the requirements of federal environmental regulations.

Castle Pines holds an Environmental Protection Agency Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit, which requires the City to monitor, maintain and control its stormwater facilities. Stormwater must be managed for the good of the entire community because water runoff does not follow subdivision or community boundaries. The City is responsible for the repair and maintenance of existing stormwater facilities as well as the construction of needed capital improvement projects related to the stormwater system.

  • Administering the MS4 stormwater permit for the City to include inspection services, reporting, and annual reports to the CDPHE
  • Maintaining stormwater infrastructure
  • Administering criteria and best management practices identified in the stormwater manual
  • Maintaining membership in professional stormwater organizations and providing public informational advertisements in the local newspaper as required under the MS4 permit
  • Performing development review of stormwater plans for private development
  • Providing the Program Description Document for review and comment upon request. Please contact the Public Works Department at pwrequests@castlepinesco.gov.

Stormwater Utility Fee

To cover the costs of managing and maintaining stormwater infrastructure, residents and commercial property owners pay an annual stormwater utility fee. This annual fee provides dedicated funding for the City's management of stormwater system infrastructure.

Many property owners formerly paid a stormwater fee as a part of their water bill from the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District (CPNMD). However, when the City began operating and maintaining the public stormwater system in early 2023, CPNMD ceased collection of a stormwater fee. The City began collecting a citywide stormwater fee for the second half of 2023. Moving forward, the fee will be collected on an annual basis.

The stormwater utility fee allows the City to provide an upgraded, consistent service across the entire city. Collecting a stormwater utility fee aligns with other Front Range municipalities and enables the City to ensure proper funding levels to meet stormwater system infrastructure needs moving forward.

What is stormwater?

Stormwater is rain or snowmelt that falls on streets, parking areas, rooftops, and other developed land and is not absorbed into the ground. As the stormwater flows over driveways, lawns, and sidewalks, it picks up debris, chemicals, and other pollutants. The stormwater either flows directly into nearby bodies of water or travels through the drainage systems to get there. Storm drains are not part of the sewer system, so water in storm drains is not treated before entering streams, rivers, or lakes.

By managing stormwater, communities are better able to protect our environment, reduce flooding, support healthier streams and rivers, and create healthier, more sustainable communities.

How does the City manage stormwater?

The City of Castle Pines is committed to maintaining a proactive stormwater management program to improve the quality of runoff entering the storm drain system and receiving streams. The program plays a critical role in controlling flooding, enhancing safety, protecting the environment, and meeting the requirements of federal environmental regulations.

Castle Pines holds an Environmental Protection Agency Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit, which requires the City to monitor, maintain and control its stormwater facilities. Stormwater must be managed for the good of the entire community because water runoff does not follow subdivision or community boundaries. The City is responsible for the repair and maintenance of existing stormwater facilities as well as the construction of needed capital improvement projects related to the stormwater system.

City responsibilities include:

  • Administering the MS4 stormwater permit for the City to include inspection services, reporting, and annual reports to the CDPHE
  • Maintaining stormwater infrastructure
  • Administering criteria and best management practices identified in the stormwater manual
  • Maintaining membership in professional stormwater organizations and providing public informational advertisements in the local newspaper as required under the MS4 permit
  • Performing development review of stormwater plans for private development
  • Providing the Program Description Document for review and comment upon request. Please contact the Public Works Department at pwrequests@castlepinesco.gov.
STORMWATER RESOURCES

We can all do our part to keep the stormwater in Castle Pines clean. Here are some simple tips to help ensure that pollutants don't contaminate nearby bodies of water:

      • Use chemical fertilizers and pesticides sparingly. Sprinklers and rain wash chemicals into nearby storm drains and eventually into area streams and lakes. Even lawn clippings contain pollutants. Leave clippings on the lawn as natural fertilizer or compost them.
      • Clean up after pets. Pet waste contains pollutants that can contaminate surface water.
      • Wash cars at commercial car washes instead of at home in your driveway. The water you used to wash your car in the driveway drains to creeks and other surface water.
      • Prevent dripping and spilling of automotive fluids. Repair leaks and recycle oil, antifreeze, and other fluids.
      • Properly dispose of paints, solvents, used oil, cleaning products, and other hazardous household wastes.

Nutrient pollution is one of America's most widespread, costly, and challenging environmental problems, and is caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the air and water. Too much nitrogen and phosphorus in the water cause algae to grow faster than ecosystems can handle. There are several things residents can do to reduce the potential of nutrients getting into our waterways. For more information, view a helpful brochure produced by the Colorado Stormwater Council.

Castle Pines detects and eliminates pollution from entering the City storm drains as part of the illicit discharges and stormwater quality requirements ordinance. Residents and visitors can help by pollution entering storm drains and waterways. Things to look for include:

      • An unusual color of the water
      • An unusual or foul odor
      • Suds or puddles when there has not been recent precipitation
      • Any unusual-looking substance leaving the storm drain
      • Illegal dumping of waste near storm drains (e.g., household chemicals, automobile fluids)
      • A large number of dead or dying animals, including fish, crayfish, insects, waterfowl, or other animals near a waterbody

To report a concern or spill, contact the Public Works Department at pwrequests@castlepinesco.gov.

Keeping stormwater clean

We can all do our part to keep the stormwater in Castle Pines clean. Here are some simple tips to help ensure that pollutants don't contaminate nearby bodies of water:

      • Use chemical fertilizers and pesticides sparingly. Sprinklers and rain wash chemicals into nearby storm drains and eventually into area streams and lakes. Even lawn clippings contain pollutants. Leave clippings on the lawn as natural fertilizer or compost them.
      • Clean up after pets. Pet waste contains pollutants that can contaminate surface water.
      • Wash cars at commercial car washes instead of at home in your driveway. The water you used to wash your car in the driveway drains to creeks and other surface water.
      • Prevent dripping and spilling of automotive fluids. Repair leaks and recycle oil, antifreeze, and other fluids.
      • Properly dispose of paints, solvents, used oil, cleaning products, and other hazardous household wastes.

Nutrient pollution

Nutrient pollution is one of America's most widespread, costly, and challenging environmental problems, and is caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the air and water. Too much nitrogen and phosphorus in the water cause algae to grow faster than ecosystems can handle. There are several things residents can do to reduce the potential of nutrients getting into our waterways. For more information, view a helpful brochure produced by the Colorado Stormwater Council.

Illicit discharges and reporting

Castle Pines detects and eliminates pollution from entering the City storm drains as part of the illicit discharges and stormwater quality requirements ordinance. Residents and visitors can help by pollution entering storm drains and waterways. Things to look for include:

      • An unusual color of the water
      • An unusual or foul odor
      • Suds or puddles when there has not been recent precipitation
      • Any unusual-looking substance leaving the storm drain
      • Illegal dumping of waste near storm drains (e.g., household chemicals, automobile fluids)
      • A large number of dead or dying animals, including fish, crayfish, insects, waterfowl, or other animals near a waterbody

To report a concern or spill, contact the Public Works Department at pwrequests@castlepinesco.gov.