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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
from stormwater expert "Buddy Beaver!"
What happens when it rains?
Rainwater runs across parking lots, roofs, streets, etc. and collects in the City's storm sewers. Most of this water then travels directly into the rivers and streams. Occasionally, excess rainwater overwhelms the storm sewers, or these facilities fail to function as designed. The water then floods into homes, businesses and streets. In some locations, rainwater may overflow out of the storm sewer system and into an adjacent sanitary sewer system. These excess flows may then be discharged directly into the watershed.
What are we required to do with the stormwater?
The Federal EPA has designated Hurricane as a "Small MS4" stormwater community. This means that the City must actively manage stormwater to the new EPA and West Virginia DEP standards. Hurricane is subject to  significant penalties for failure to comply with the Federal requirements.
What are the benefits of stormwater management?
By enacting stormwater management, the City will comply with Federal requirements. This also means improvement of the water quality in our local watershed. Other benefits may include flood control, a significant reduction in pollution caused by surcharged sanitary sewers, and expansion of our stormwater collection system.
Isn't this service paid for out of my taxes?
Until now, stormdrain maintenance has been funded out of the City's general revenue fund. Compliance with the new Federal standards will require considerable additional funding to establish a management program to educate the public, to establish controls for construction site runoff and post-construction stormwater management, to detect illicit discharge and elimination and carry out good housekeeping practices for municipal operations. Without additional efforts toward stormwater management, urban development in and around Hurricane will degrade the quality of our water, thus the quality of life. Therefore, City of Council has established a reliable and fair system to collect dedicated revenue for stormwater management.
What is a fair way to fund the required stormwater management activities?
In accordance with West Virginia law 16-13-22, all properties discharging water into the City watershed are required to participate in the stormwater utility, regardless of whether the property is within or outside the City limits. In other words, a service fee is charged based upon the amount of stormwater that runs off a property and into our watershed.
Our Hurricane watershed
A watershed is an area that drains naturally into downhill streams and rivers. Our urban watershed includes Mill Creek and Cow Creek, as well as smaller streams in and around the city that flow into Hurricane Creek. For more information about the Hurricane/Teays Valley Storm Water Drainage Basin area, call 304-562-5896.
Stormwater & me? What can I do?
Stormwater runoff involves water not absorbed by the ground when it rains. Some of the most common household activities can have an unhealthy impact on our water quality, from washing the car to killing weeds. Each time it rains, water not absorbed by the ground, carries pollutants into our waters.
Here are some valuable newsletters and powerpoint presentations on good practices and information for stormwater pollution prevention and MS4 communty responsibilities:
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