Sewer District to send separate stormwater bills to Heights residents

Cleveland Heights residents and some University Heights residents are accustomed to seeing a charge from the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District for wastewater treatment on the quarterly water bills they receive from the City of Cleveland Heights. For these residents wastewater treatment will continue to be billed in this manner, but beginning this year they will also receive a separate quarterly bill directly from the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Wastewater for the new Regional Stormwater Management Program. The first bills will cover the four-month period ending January 16.

The stormwater management program addresses problems caused by stormwater runoff from hard surfaces, including stream flooding, erosion, and water-quality issues. The stormwater management fee, which will pay for stormwater-related construction projects and maintenance, is based on the amount of impervious area on each customer's property. Customers may be eligible to apply for credits to reduce the amount owed, based on measures taken to reduce the rate or volume of stormwater flowing from the customer's property into the stormwater system.

Sewer District customers may learn more about the Regional Stormwater Management Program, including credits, by attending informational meetings on the second Monday of each month. Sewer District representatives will explain how impervious area is measured and fees are calculated and will help customers complete credit applications. These meetings are scheduled for February 11, March 11, April 8, May 14 and June 11 at 6:00 p.m. at the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Administration Building at 3900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland (parking lot entrance off East 40th Street). Due to Homeland Security regulations, all building visitors must show photo ID.

More information about the stormwater management program and credits available to customers also may be obtained at www.neorsd.org/stormwater. The amount of the stormwater fee for a particular property can be determined by looking up the property’s address at www.neorsd.org/findmyfee.