Stormwater
Providing Stormwater Management Solutions Before They Drown Your Budget
When stormwater systems fail, the results are costly—flooded streets, damaged property, health and safety concerns, and public frustration. Communities across the Midwest face mounting pressure to address outdated infrastructure, regulatory compliance, and climate-driven increases in rainfall intensity and frequency.
That’s where we step in, not just with designs, but with preparedness plans and long-term solutions.
We help identify and fix root issues: undersized sewers, aging culverts, eroded ditches, and inadequate detention.
We listen, investigate, and implement cost-effective, future-ready solutions. Whether it’s a chronic flooding issue or planning for future growth, we help communities go from reactive response to proactive resilience.
Let’s solve the stormwater issues facing your community—before the next storm hits.
William J. Leber, P.E., LEED AP
Our Services
Preliminary Engineering and Studies
- Floodplain/Floodway Analysis
- Hydraulic Modeling
- Stormwater Master Plans
- Watershed Studies
- Preliminary Engineering Reports (PER)
- Local Funding Format
- Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) Funding Format
- State Revolving Fund (SRF) Funding Format
Design Services
- Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Mitigation
- Detention/Retention Design and Analysis
- Drainage Improvement Design
- Emergent Island Design
- Green Infrastructure Design
- Outfall Rehabilitation
- Rain Trail Design
- Stormwater Collection System Design
Additional Services
- Bidding
- Construction Administration and Observation
- Flood Insurance Map Revisions
- Funding Guidance
- Levee Inspections and Evaluations
- Permitting and Environmental Services
- Regulatory Compliance
- Stormwater Collection System Mapping / GIS Integration
- Stormwater Utility Formation and Planning
Airports
Airports require stormwater management, design, planning and permitting so they can function in many different weather patterns while maintaining a strict schedule. Airports that suffer from stormwater drainage issues, deicing runoff control and regulatory compliance issues are at risk of causing safety concerns for pilots and passengers alike.
Our team works with private and public airports to solve these common problems. We believe in the value of thorough investigation during the planning and design phases of a project.
We perform stormwater and watershed studies and system modeling. In addition, we design drainage collection systems and deicing runoff control management systems as well as assist clients in environmental permitting and regulatory compliance.
As a leader in stormwater planning and design, we recognize the unique stormwater challenges facing aviation facilities.
Our Services
Stormwater Management
- Best Management Practices (BMPs)
- Drainage Improvements
- New Collection Systems
- Stormwater Master Plans
Watershed and System Modeling
- Appropriate Conveyance Sizing
- Detention and Retention Analysis
- Floodplain Mapping
- System Bottleneck Evaluation
Stormwater Pollution Prevention
- Evaluation of BMPs
- Site Assessments and Implementation
- Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) Development
- SWPPP Updates
Regulatory Assistance
- DNR Construction in a Floodway Permitting
- Erosion and Sediment Control Planning
- Industrial NPDES Stormwater Permitting
- Permit Inspections and Compliance
- Spill Containment Design
- Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Planning
- Stormwater Quality Treatment
- Waterway and Wetland Permitting
Deicing Runoff Control
- National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Negotiations
- Operations Plans and Manuals
- Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Automation
- Treatability, Disposal, and Recycle Studies
Do You Need a Stormwater Utility?
Identifying Stormwater Management Needs
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A key step in establishing an SWU is determining the stormwater management activities that will be funded by the utility. Cost estimates can be used to establish budget line items. The following are items an SWU can fund:
- Costs Associated with the MS4 Permitting
- Maintenance & Repair of the Existing Stormwater Infrastructure
- Planning & Construction of Stormwater Capital Improvement Projects
- Utility Billing & Administrative Costs.
Why Form A Stormwater Utility (SWU)?
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The formation of a stormwater utility requires time and resources, but the benefits of an established utility will outweigh the required efforts. Here are four primary reasons why communities form SWUs:
- Provides a Funding Source
- Affords Stability
- Generates Immediate Capital
- Allows for a Long-Term Solution.
Steps to Determine Stormwater User Fees
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Charging residents a stormwater management fee is a relatively new concept. The fees must be equitable to survive public scrutiny and challenges to the stormwater utility. Revenues needed for stormwater management must be determined and weighed against “acceptable” fees charged to residents and businesses.
Fees are based on an “Equivalent Residential Unit” or ERU. One ERU equals the average hard surface (impervious area) of residential properties (statistical analysis). Non-residential properties are billed based on multiples of the ERU. User fees are based on the total number of ERUs and estimates for stormwater management activities. A rate study is completed to determine the fee per ERU. The fee correlates to the cost of providing stormwater management service.
Rate payers can be billed through their existing monthly utility bills with the stormwater utility fee listed as a separate line item.
