Preparing Vaughan’s stormwater system for the future

Annual charge will appear on bills between May and July

There’s a saying: when it rains, it pours. That’s why the City of Vaughan operates and maintains a stormwater system that can weather any storm! 

With nearly 345,000 residents in Vaughan, this vital infrastructure must be kept in top shape to continue servicing our growing community. Maintenance of our catch basins, storm sewers and stormwater management ponds is supported through the City’s annual stormwater charge. Depending on your billing cycle, the annual charge will appear on one of your Alectra Utilities invoices between May and July. 

The stormwater charge is not a new fee – it has appeared on utility bills since June 2017. Before this time, stormwater services were funded through property taxes and the wastewater fee. The charge is billed once annually and covers the entire calendar year.

The annual stormwater charge has helped to fund numerous City programs and initiatives, including: 

• cleaning and clearing of the City’s catch basins.

• routine camera inspections of the City’s stormwater pipes.

• inspections of the City’s 150 stormwater management ponds and clean-out of select ponds.

• prevention of erosion and degradation of more than 150 kilometres of the natural creek system.

• proactive improvement and preventative repair of stormwater infrastructure.

• and many more!

What is stormwater?

Stormwater is rainwater and melted snow that runs off lawns, streets and other land surfaces. This runoff is meant to be absorbed by plants and soils and make its way back to the natural environment. However, hard surfaces — such as pavement, driveways, sidewalks and roofs — especially in urban areas, can prevent stormwater runoff from naturally soaking into the ground, which can lead to flooding and erosion of water courses, such as rivers and streams. While not all properties in Vaughan immediately contribute to stormwater runoff entering the City’s infrastructure, the runoff from both urban and rural properties will eventually reach the infrastructure or impact rivers and streams over time. 

That’s why the City works diligently throughout the year to maintain vital stormwater infrastructure!

You can play a role in reducing stormwater pollution!

There are a few easy actions you can take to help our stormwater system stay clean and clear: 

• Put trash where it belongs and report litter or dumping.

• Never pour pool chemicals, paint, fats, oils, grease, food scraps or medication down drains or catch basins. Only rain can go down the drain!

• Dispose of toxic or hazardous products (such as motor oil, paints, solvents and others) at a York Region waste depot. The Vaughan location is at 130 McCleary Crt.

To learn more about the City’s stormwater services, visit vaughan.ca/stormwater. 

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