Show All Answers

1. What is Stormwater?

Stormwater is exactly what it sounds like. When it rains, or when snow melts, water that is not soaked into the ground may go directly into a channel or storm drain and/or straight to a nearby river or creek.

2. Why is stormwater management so important?

Without a stormwater collection system, every rainstorm could turn into a flood. Sapulpa’s Stormwater Management Program has responsibility for operating, maintaining and improving an extensive system of open waterways and enclosed storm sewer lines. This system exists to collect the rainwater that runs off yards, roofs, streets and parking lots and carry it away from neighborhoods to the area’s creeks and streams.

The Sapulpa Stormwater Management Program not only focuses on water quantity, but also water quality. Water pollution degrades surface waters making them unsafe for drinking, fishing, swimming, and other activities. As stormwater flows across a surface, it picks up and carries any pollutants that were present on that surface. When a large surface area drains to a creek, it can accumulate a lot of pollutants! Maintaining good water quality in Sapulpa’s creeks and streams is important for preserving healthy creek habitats and ecosystems. The City of Sapulpa is permitted with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality for stormwater discharges. This gives the City of Sapulpa ultimate responsibility for the water quality of stormwater discharges from the City of Sapulpa.

3. What are key concerns for the City of Sapulpa Stormwater Management Division?

Key concerns for the City of Sapulpa are: protecting water quality; public health, welfare and safety; reduction of flood losses; and the protection of natural resources.

4. What are examples of stormwater pollutants?

Stormwater pollution degrades surface waters making them unsafe for drinking, fishing, swimming, and other activities. Anything other than stormwater discharged to the City of Sapulpa's storm sewer system is considered a pollutant. Some examples of stormwater pollutants that are found within the City of Sapulpa include: grass clippings and yard debris; soil and dirt from construction activities; paints, varnishes and solvents; oil and antifreeze; garbage and refuse; sewage and animal wastes; and overuse of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.

5. What steps can a home/property owner take to protect water quality of Sapulpa’s Creeks?

Mow the outer strip of grass inward, toward the lawn instead of out to the street. Use a mulching mower or bag grass and leaves instead of blowing them into streets. Yard wastes clog storm drains and deplete oxygen in the water. Fish need oxygen to survive.

Maintain vehicles to prevent fluid leaks. Don’t pour used motor oil, antifreeze, pesticides or other pollutants into storm drains. Contact the City of Sapulpa’s Environmental Administrator at 918-248-5934 for proper disposal methods and locations.

Apply fertilizers and pesticides properly. Do not apply if rain is in the near forecast. Read labels to determine how much to use and when to apply. The Creek County OSU Extension (918-224-2192) has trained staff to answer questions about pesticides and fertilizers.

Pick up litter around your home or business so it doesn’t collect on drain inlets or clog sewer pipes. If you see someone littering, report the incident to the Oklahoma Litter Hotline,
1-888-5-LITTER.

6. Why am I charged a Stormwater Utility Fee on my utility bill?

In 1991, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed regulations aimed at curbing the pollution of stormwater runoff. Contaminated stormwater runoff was known to be a major contributor to pollution of surface waters throughout the country. Contamination can result from exposure of storm water to materials such as fuels, chemicals, raw materials, fertilizers, pesticides, and wastes. It can also result from dirt and debris accumulated on streets and in municipal storm sewer systems (MS4). Under this regulation, municipalities with populations over 100,000 were required to develop programs to minimize storm water pollution entering theMS4s. In 2005, smaller municipalities and "urbanized areas" came under similar regulations called the Phase II Stormwater Program. Municipally-owned facilities that engage in activities that might threaten to contaminate storm water must comply with these regulations.

The City of Sapulpa was issued a Storm Water Discharge permit with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) on October 27, 2006. This permit requires the development and implementation of an educational, operating and maintenance program to control storm water pollution through:
1. Public Education and Outreach;
2. Public Participation and Involvement;
3. Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination;
4. Construction Site Run-Off Control;
5. Post-Construction Management; and
6. Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations.

The requirements of the Stormwater Management Program were federally mandated, but neither the State of Oklahoma nor the federal government provided a funding source. The Stormwater Utility Fee was implemented to cover the federally mandated requirements.

7. What does the Stormwater Utillity Fee pay for?

The Stormwater Utility Fee pays for many services including, but not limited to:
Repairs, maintenance, and/or upgrades to the municipal storm sewer system, including regional detention, ditches and culverts (land, labor, equipment, materials);
Street sweeping;
Watershed pollution prevention measures;
Creek monitoring and watershed characterization (including field test kits);
Lab Fees;
Construction site inspections;
Illicit discharge inspections, equipment and supplies (including televising infrastructure);
Sediment & Erosion Control Permit reviews;
Drainage ditch clearing, re-grading and maintenance;
Administrative requirements (permitting, management plan development, enforcement);
Public education and participation procedures (enviroscape, educational materials and booths, storm drain marking program);
Creek cleanup events;
GIS and mapping services;
Street curbing and guttering; and
Hazardous/non-hazardous spill emergency containment and cleanup services

8. What is the current rate for the Stormwater Utility Fee?

The services of the stormwater utility are paid for by a monthly fee added to utility bills. It has been approved by Sapulpa City Council to charge a current (2014) fee of $4.15 for residential and $3.51 per Equivalent Service Unit (ESU), 2,650 ft of impervious surface, for non-residential properties.

9. Who has to pay a Stormwater Utility Fee?

Any property that falls within the City of Sapulpa city limits and has impervious surface must pay a Stormwater Utility Fee.

10. I have no storm drains or ditches in my neighborhood. Why am I receiving a bill for the Stormwater Utility Fee?

Although the Stormwater Utility Fee does fund storm sewer system maintenance, this is only a portion of the Stormwater Management Program. The water quality portion of the program is not infrastructure dependent and is directly affected by all developed properties. All developed properties produce stormwater runoff and have a higher capacity for contributing to stormwater pollution. The City is responsible for the pollutants in the runoff that comes from any property within Sapulpa city limits and, therefore, every property within Sapulpa city limits is required to pay the Stormwater Utility Fee.

11. Why am I getting charged a Stormwater Utility Fee when I am not on city sewer or water?

The Stormwater Utility Fee has nothing to do with potable (drinking) water, wastewater or whether you're on city sewer. Stormwater is rain. The Stormwater Utility Fee is being charged for the service the city provides in controlling, storing and monitoring the community's stormwater runoff, which is greater coming from developed properties. All developed properties produce stormwater runoff and are, therefore, charged a Stormwater Utility Fee.

12. How do I report pollution or spills?

Please contact the City of Sapulpa Environmental Administrator at 918-248-5934. In case of an emergency, please call 911.