Stormwater Frequently Asked Questions

Previously, our customers received their stormwater bills at different times of the year depending on where they lived in the city. Now, all City of Lakewood stormwater customers will receive their bill at the same time in January each year. By switching the billing schedule, the City of Lakewood strives to simplify the billing process for customers, increase the efficiency of City staff, and ensure equity citywide.

• Changing the billing date simplifies the process for our residents by making it easier to know when to expect your bill each year—no more surprises!
• It increases efficiency by allowing the Finance Department to send all bills to our customers at once. This helps streamline processing, which saves time, money, and staff resources so that we can better serve you.
• It also ensures equity citywide. Customers may move around our city during the year or from year to year. Because the previous process sent bills at different times of the year based on geographic location, this increased the risk of accidentally missing a bill, not knowing when to expect it, or accumulating late fees. By switching the billing date so that all customers are billed in January, the City of Lakewood strives to ensure equity, making it easier for all residents to know when to expect their bill.

Stormwater is rain or melting snow that doesn’t soak into the ground and runs off hard surfaces such as driveways, roofs, parking lots, sidewalks, and patios. Rather than soaking into the soil, stormwater quickly funnels through the storm drainage systems directly to streams, rivers, and lakes.

No, because those districts don't manage stormwater runoff. However, numerous other cities in the metro area and region, have a stormwater charge because it is a main funding source for maintenance and improvements to aging stormwater systems. Lakewood’s City Council created the Stormwater Management Utility in 2000 for maintaining the drainage system, building drainage improvements and meeting federal requirements for stormwater quality.

Every property owner in Lakewood must pay the once-a-year stormwater utility service charge.

The City of Lakewood provides stormwater services to all Lakewood residents, and every property owner receives a stormwater bill. Lakewood also provides water or sewer services to a small portion of Lakewood residents. Given that, some residents receive a water and a stormwater bill from Lakewood, and for others, they receive a Lakewood sewer and a Lakewood stormwater bill. There are also some residents who receive water, sewer and stormwater bills from Lakewood. For all residents, they receive an annual stormwater bill every January, but their Lakewood water or sewer bills come every two months. Each bill will clearly state what the bill is for. If it is unclear, an account number that begins with 1 indicates it is a stormwater bill, and an account number that begins with a 2 is either a water or sewer bill.

Please visit the city’s online customer service hub at Lakewood.org/RequestLakewood. Scroll down to click on "Stormwater and Drainage,” then select “Report a Drainage Problem.”

Every property has stormwater runoff that flows into the drainage system, which must be maintained and improved to reduce or eliminate flooding that can affect everyone. The driveways, parking lots, and roofs in every part of the city contribute to runoff from storms. It is most equitable to have all developed properties pay a charge that is proportional to an approximation of the amount of water running off each property.

The following charges can be applied, and delinquent bills can result in placing a lien on the property.

Please send an email to utilitybilling@lakewood.org. In the subject line, please include your address, not your question.

You can expect a response within 48 hours. Please only submit one email per week and do not duplicate by calling the billing office as well.

Please visit www.Lakewood.org/Flow.