Stormwater 101
Welcome to the City of Palm Coast's Stormwater 101 page! Our community is nestled in a beautiful, unique natural environment that we strive to protect and preserve. This page is dedicated to educating residents, businesses, and visitors about the significance of stormwater management, its impact on our ecosystems, and the role each of us plays in ensuring a sustainable future for Palm Coast.
Navigation Menu
What is a Stormwater System?
What is Illicit Discharge?
Illicit discharge refers to the unauthorized introduction of pollutants or non-stormwater materials into a stormwater drainage system. This can include oil, toxic chemicals, sewage, and other hazardous materials that severely impact water quality. In Palm Coast, Florida, addressing illicit discharge is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the stormwater system, protecting local waterways and aquatic ecosystems, and ensuring the community's health and safety by preventing waterborne pollutants from contaminating water sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Stormwater FAQ section addresses how the system functions, its environmental significance, maintenance practices, community involvement opportunities, and relevant policies. This centralized information hub aims to foster a well-informed community, promote environmental stewardship, and facilitate compliance with Stormwater regulations, supporting a sustainable and resilient Palm Coast.
Inspections are completed in the order they are received. Certain times of the year a much busier than other and inspections cannot be completed during a rain event. Once an inspection is completed you will be notified via e-mail on your Palm Coast Connect Case and a door tag will be left at your residence.
We currently have two crews dedicated full-time to re-grade approximately 1,200 miles of swales in our community. With this dedicated program we have made major strides. These crews typically grade approximately 30 miles of swales each year on a two-month rotating schedule. Each crew enters a section of the city. They complete as much work as they can with in that time and then move to the next section. We have found, by maintaining this strict rotation, this is the most efficient way to distribute this resource across the entire City. Unfortunately, we cannot always complete all of the work called out for that section in that time frame. The most up to date information is available on the Stormwater Map which you can find at this link: https://www.palmcoast.gov/stormwater/swales
We live in a very flat area, so even small modifications can affect the grade from the high point to the outfall which could affect multiple houses. We do encourage residents to do small maintenance in their swale such as removing or flattening a tire rut, or smoothing a small berm caused by lawn debris buildup. But anything that would change the grade of the swale would require a permit.
The city is required by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to maintain the stormwater system according to national standards, which include the construction and maintenance of its stormwater infrastructure. The cost of new projects, city labor, equipment, and administration.
Anyone who owns property in the city limits pay a stormwater fee. If your property is currently vacant the fee is charged annually, land with a structure pays monthly on your utility bill.
It is the responsibility of the homeowner to keep their culvert clear and clean. If the culvert becomes clogged, the water has no where to go and will sit in the swale for a longer period of time. The City of Palm Coast will come out and assist in removing debris after the pipe is inspected. If this is the case you may request an inspection via Palm Coast Connect or by reaching Customer Service at 386-986-2360.