Stormwater Utility District #1

Departments

The Town of Brookfield is responsible for providing flood protection for its residents and protecting the environment from non-point source pollution. Storm water management and water quality regulations are mandated by the State of Wisconsin under a number of state statutes.

The Town has received a Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit under NR 216 regulations. The Town has a Storm Water Management Plan (SMP) that is updated from time to time to address stormwater quantity and quality for those areas of the Town that drain to the Fox River Watershed. The primary goals include:

  • Protect the water quality of local streams, lakes, wetlands, and groundwater
  • Protect environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands, fish and wildlife habitat, and environmental corridors
  • Protect public and private property from the potential dangers caused by stormwater runoff

Each year, the Town is required to submit an annual report to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) summarizing the Town’s progress in meeting the WPDES stormwater requirements. A copy of the most recently submitted Annual Report can be found here.

To fund the implementation of the SMP and ongoing storm water needs, the Town of Brookfield established a Stormwater Utility in 2004 as Utility District #1 (UD1). UD1 was created to provide an equitable way to fund mandated and necessary improvements to the Town’s stormwater infrastructure. Stormwater-related revenues and expenditures are kept separate from the Town’s general tax levy.

All properties within the Town are charged a fee based on the amount of impervious surface on the property. This includes properties owned by nonprofit organizations such as schools and churches. This spreads the responsibility for funding improvements to all users proportionally based on how much their properties contribute to the storm water burden of the community.

Impervious surfaces (i.e. rooftops, driveways, sidewalks, etc.) prevent storm water from properly infiltrating into the ground, resulting in additional runoff volume. As the stormwater travels over the impervious surfaces it collects oils, grease, fertilizers, pesticides, trash, grass clippings, leaves, and chemicals which all end up in the surrounding bodies of water. These pollutants create poor water quality and have negative impacts to the animals, plants and users that rely on these bodies of water.

Stormwater utility funds are dedicated to the planning, maintenance and construction of stormwater facilities and implementation of practices necessary to reduce runoff pollutants to meet the WDNR and EPA mandates. Storm water facilities and maintenance practices may include detention ponds, rain gardens, infiltration basins, storm sewer maintenance and improvements, street sweeping, leaf collection, and erosion control.

Additional Stormwater Information:

After the Storm
Brown Water, Green Weeds
Car Care for Cleaner Water
Cleaning Up Storm Water Runoff
How to Manage Runoff
Polluted Urban Runoff
Storm Drain Stenciling
Storm Sewers
Where to Go With Snow

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