Stormwater Financing
Changes to your ENWIN bill coming in January 2025.
A proactive, Fair Share plan to reduce costs and basement flooding for residents.
- In 2025, the City of Windsor is introducing a new way to pay for stormwater management, one that will save most property owners money.
- This is not an additional fee for residents. Your current water bill already includes a single, combined fee currently called the waste water charges that funds the removal of both wastewater and stormwater.
- Starting in January 2025, these fees will be separated. The stormwater fee will be based on each property’s water runoff contribution to the storm sewer system.
- This also means that properties with large non-absorbent surfaces, like big-box stores with large parking lots, will pay their fair share for using the stormwater system.
- This Fair Share plan is designed to create an equitable system for residents whereby most households, and many small and medium sized businesses will actually see a reduction in overall costs.
It’s the Fair Share way to pay for the stormwater systems used to control water runoff.
Look for a more detailed billing description that separates wastewater and stormwater usage on your ENWIN water bill, starting in January 2025.
What is Stormwater?
Stormwater is the water that flows into our sewers, creeks and rivers after it rains or from melting snow. In natural areas, stormwater can soak into the ground where it lands or be absorbed by vegetation.
In urban areas, stormwater runs off hard surfaces (such as rooftops, parking areas, patios, sidewalks, etc) which can carry debris and chemicals into streams and rivers. Stormwater runoff from urban areas is greater in amount (since water cannot get into the natural ground that is covered with houses, roads, parking lots etc.), and flows off the land much more rapidly, increasing the potential to cause flooding and erosion along the way. Pollutants carried in stormwater enter the natural environment and have negative effects on water quality and the natural environment.
Stormwater must be managed to reduce the risk of flooding and erosion, and to minimize harm to the environment.
Impact of stormwater on impervious areas:
What is the City’s role in managing stormwater?
The City is responsible for managing stormwater within the municipality. Stormwater management is key in protecting public safety and health, and works to reduce flood risk, control erosion and maintain water quality.
Managing stormwater includes planning, designing, constructing, operating and maintaining stormwater management structures. These structures consist of storm sewers, ditches, inlets, stormwater management facilities (ponds), bridges, culverts, infiltration facilities, oil grit separators, engineered and natural channels, and storm sewer outfalls to streams and watercourses.
The City's Stormwater Management Infrastructure
The City manages:
- More than 1025 kilometres of pipes
- Approximately 15,300 sewer access holes
- More than 22,615 catch basins
- 29 stormwater ponds (wet and dry)
- 39 pump stations
- Approximately 124 kilometres of municipal drains
- Approximately 254 kilometres of roadside ditches
The estimated replacement cost value of the existing stormwater system is approximately $2 billion (in 2023 dollars).
Some of the City's management activities include the following:
- Undertaking flood protection projects
- Maintaining, repairing and restoring existing infrastructure
- Providing emergency response to flooding, spills and clean-up
- Carrying out street sweeping
- Enforcing by-laws to protect the environment and prevent interference with the operation of the stormwater management system
Extreme High Water Levels in Grand Marais DrainStormwater Fee Credit Program Manual
A stormwater fee credit program was approved by Council as a financial incentive to non-residential and multi-residential properties. The credit program aligns with the City’s mandate to mitigate flooding and increase resiliency during storms, namely towards peak flow reduction, runoff reduction and water quality improvement. A credit is also available to non-residential and multi-residential properties that directly discharge their stormwater into the Detroit River or Lake St. Clair and do not use the municipal system. Learn more by reading the Stormwater Fee Credit Program Manual.
Credit application process: Stormwater Financing Program | City of Windsor
Incentives
An Incentives program exists for Residential property owners. Incentives programs are used to encourage voluntary actions by Residential property owners willing to make changes on their property to achieve a public objective of managing runoff and building flood resiliency. This Incentives Program offers a one-time financial incentive (per Property, per Program type) and is based on existing and new programs run by the City as follows:
1. Enhancement of Existing Subsidy Programs: claim limits were increased under the City’s subsidy programs including Basement Flooding Protection, Sanitary Sewer Private Drain Connection Replacement and Culvert Rehabilitation Subsidy Program. Click here to learn more: Sewers | City of Windsor
2. Rain Barrel Program (new): A rebate of up to $120 on one rain barrel (limit one rain barrel per property owner) that is purchased by a residential property owner at their discretion. The rain barrel can be any make or model with a minimum volume of 132 Litres (35 gallons). Up to 500 properties can take advantage of this program each year. Click here to apply: Stormwater Financing Program | City of Windsor
Program Specifics:
- A receipt/invoice and photo of the installed rain barrel must be provided within the subsidy application
- Residents are responsible for the installation and maintenance the barrel
3.Tree Program (new): Each Residential property owner is entitled to one tree (limit one tree per property owner) for planting on their private property (i.e. not on the public right-of-way area). Trees will be available for pickup at a City Parks location in the Spring and Fall. Up to 200 trees will be available under this program each year. Click here to apply: Stormwater Financing Program | City of Windsor
What's Included:
- One (1) 7-gallon tree container, +/- 6'-0" tall
- Bag of mulch
- Planting guide
- Property map, outlining the parcel/right-of-way (ROW) boundary
Program Specifics:
- Tree species will be determined at scheduled pick up
- One (1) day pickup event in the Spring (3rd Saturday in May) and one (1) pickup event in the Fall (4th Saturday in October)
- Tree pick-up location - City of Windsor Greenhouse (2499 McDougall Street)
- No warranty will be provided.
- Residents are responsible for the installation and maintenance the tree
Tree Pick-up Options & Requirements:
- Owner Pick-up
- One (1) piece of government photo identification
- Signature from the individual picking the tree
- Authorized Representative Pick-up:
- An official letter from the property owner authorizing the individual to pick up the tree.
- One (1) piece of government photo identification
- Signature from the individual picking the tree
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Learn more about how the City manages stormwater and about the Stormwater Financing Project by reviewing the Frequently Asked Questions.
Don’t see your question? Ask it here: rowprograms@citywindsor.ca
Stormwater Rates
Your stormwater fee will be based on the impervious area on your property. Look for a more detailed billing description that separates wastewater and stormwater usage on your ENWIN water bill, starting in January 2025.
Residential Properties
Tiered flat rate based on impervious area.
Residential Tier | Impervious Area | Monthly Billing |
Tier 1 | 27 - 200 m2 | $ 22.50 |
Tier 2 | 201 - 325 m2 | $ 28.17 |
Tier 3 | 326+ m2 | $ 38.83 |
Non-Residential and Multi-Residential
Fee based on amount of impervious area.
Non-Residential and Multi-Residential | Monthly Flat Rate* |
Per square meter | $ 0.105 /m2 |
* equivalent annual rate of $1.26 /m2
Wastewater Rates
The Wastewater Charge is calculated using Stand-Alone Uniform Wastewater Rates. This is made up of the Wastewater Fixed Charge that is based on the size of the meter connected to your address and a Wastewater Consumption Charge based on water usage. In order to exclude increased summer water usage that is estimated not to be returned to the sewer system, the water usage for the wastewater consumption charge will be calculated as the lower of actual water usage or the winter average usage.
The wastewater rates are listed below:
Residential Accounts:
Wastewater Rates – Residential | 2024 Residential Rates | 2025 Residential Rates |
Wastewater Fixed Charge | $21.65 | $12.89 |
Wastewater Consumption Charge | $3.37 per cubic metre of water used (reduced for excess summer consumption) | $2.01 per cubic metre of water used (reduced for excess summer consumption) |
Commercial Accounts:
Wastewater Rates – Commercial | 2024 Commercial Rates | 2025 Commercial Rates |
Wastewater Fixed Charge | $194.85 for typical 1-inch service | $116.57 for typical 1-inch service. See Table below. |
Wastewater Consumption Charge | $3.15 per cubic metre of water used (reduced for excess summer consumption) | $1.66 per cubic metre of water used (reduced for excess summer consumption) |
Wastewater Fixed Charge (Commercial) | Stand-Alone Fixed Wastewater Charge |
Less than 1 inch/25 millimetres (mm) | $12.89 |
1 inch/25mm | $116.57 |
1 1/2 inch/40mm | $273.07 |
2 inch/51mm | $455.84 |
3 inch/75mm | $819.25 |
4 inch/100mm | $1,450.72 |
6 inch/150mm | $2,648.92 |
8 inch/200mm | $4,413.61 |
10 inch/250mm | $7,270.84 |
12 inch/300mm | $10,470.00 |
Follow this link for more information: Sewer Surcharge Calculation | City of Windsor
Stormwater Fee Funding Model & Rate Structure
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Construction Begins to Complete Prince Road Storm Sewer Outlet
Today, Mayor Drew Dilkens was joined by Ward 2 Councillor Fabio Costante and City administration to announce the upcoming construction of the Prince Road Storm Sewer Outlet. Full details available at CityWindsor.ca Newsroom.
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Property Tax Bill Insert
An insert was included in your Property Tax bill in June. Click to download a copy: Property Tax Bill Insert (June 2024).
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ENWIN Utility Bill Insert
An insert was included in your ENWIN utility bill in April. Click to download a copy: ENWIN Utility Bill Insert (April 2024).
