Des Moines residents could see a 6% increase in their stormwater bills starting July 1.
The city is proposing an increase in the monthly stormwater service rate to $20.45 in fiscal year 2027 from $19.29 in the current fiscal year 2026. Des Moines’ stormwater service rate was $18.20 in fiscal year 2025.
Des Moines officials said rate increases help the city keep up with flood protection infrastructure projects, ensuring the community is prepared to handle a flood event.
The proposed hike was among several topics the Des Moines City Council discussed in a budget session in February, where city leaders presented an $855 million operating budget for the July 1 to June 30 fiscal year.
Also called a storm drain or a stormwater drain, the system is designed to drain excess rain and groundwater from paved streets, parking lots, sidewalks and roofs, according to the city. The city maintains 592 miles of storm sewer.
The rate is based on the “equivalent resident unit,” a unit of measurement used to calculate the billing for the impervious square footage of all structures/surfaces on properties, “including buildings, paved and rocked areas, decks and patios, and anything else that restricts the absorption of water into the soil,” according to the city.
A single-family home generally counts as one equivalent resident unit. But the square footage can vary with the type of property, and an owner can appeal.
At the budget meeting Feb. 18, council member Joe Gatto asked Finance Director Nick Schaul what would happen if the council rejected the 6% increase, saying he wants a better understanding of what the fees cover.
“I’ll be honest, I hate the nickel and dimes that we do on all of our bills,” Gatto said. “We’re taxing the most vulnerable folks in our community.”
Schaul, who said flood protection improvement projects are big drivers of customer rates, said approving less than the proposed rate could mean reevaluating how much the city can put toward its stormwater master plan projects. The increase also helps the city keep its bond rating.
Stormwater projects such as the one on the Closes Creek Watershed west of Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway between Interstate 235 and Hickman Road are helping keep residents safe in their homes, Mayor Connie Boesen added.
“So we need to make sure we balance what we’re doing to make sure we’re doing the work that we provide for our community in a safe manner so they aren’t flooded. … Because the end result can be devastation,” Boesen said.
Pointing to the 2018 flash flood when many residents lost “everything,” council member Josh Mandelbaum said investing in stormwater systems is crucial as climate change events become more frequent.
“The investment from a stormwater perspective is a pretty important investment so that we don’t lose property, that we protect property in some of the most vulnerable areas of the city,” he said.
Three of the city’s major stormwater projects in its Capital Improvement Plan include Hamilton Drain Area, Jackson Basin Wetland and Closes Creek Watershed.
A project to replace a floodgate at George Flagg Parkway and Fleur Drive also should be wrapped up by May, Des Moines Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation Authority Director Patrick Beane said.
How much will sanitary sewer costs increase?
Separately, last budget cycle, the city approved a 6% sanitary sewer rate increase for both fiscal year 2026 and 2027.
That means the total monthly cost for that fee will be $10.43 per 1,000 gallons of water starting July 1. The monthly cost increased to $9.84 per 1,000 gallons of water in the 2026 fiscal year.
Des Moines maintains 1,017 miles of sanitary sewer.
Will fees increase for solid waste?
Residents won’t see an increase in solid waste fees in the upcoming budget year.
Last year, the city raised the solid waste collection bill by $2.25, except for customers who qualify for subsidized rates. The monthly rates will remain at $16.81 for the first 64 gallons of waste and $17.91 for the first 96 gallons.
The city collects trash, yard waste and recyclables from about 65,000 homes.
Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@dmreg.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: How much could stormwater bills rise in Des Moines?
Reporting by Virginia Barreda, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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