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Finance 101: Surface Water Management

by Robby Hammond, Hillsboro City Manager

Post Date:12/01/2023

Robby Hammond headshot When dark clouds hover and the rain pours over your neighborhood, all of that water has to go somewhere. Do you know where it goes?

The City of Hillsboro Public Works Department’s Surface Water Management Program collects and moves the water to prevent flooding and to protect our environment — treating it in retention ponds and stormwater management facilities before it’s released into local waterways.

You can see Surface Water Management in action when rainwater travels from a roof down into the gutters, moving from downspouts out to the curb on the street, making its way into the stormwater system and eventually into the Tualatin River.

Preventing Flooding

We live in an urban environment. Homes, streets, buildings, and other surfaces don’t naturally absorb water. To protect our community, we work with developers to prevent flooding through design standards. Through our Leaf Pickup Program, we keep catch basins clear of leaves to prevent flooding. And when it rains, we keep water moving without overwhelming streams and creeks.

Leaf pickup

Prioritizing Environmental Stewardship

When our street sweepers keep Hillsboro’s streets clean, that’s part of our environmental stewardship. Removing road debris and pollutants left behind by tires and vehicles keeps it out of the water, protecting animals and plants. When our combo recycler trucks vacuum out debris from storm lines and catch basins, that keeps the stormwater flowing.

When our water quality facilities use plants and other natural processes for filtrating and treating water, that’s managing the runoff water in concert with nature. When we release water into a creek without disturbing fish, beavers, or other wildlife, that’s respecting animals around us.

Wastewater

Your Role is Essential

You are helping to fund a clean water cycle when you pay your utility bill’s Surface Water Management fees. Maintaining and repairing the stormwater infrastructure that supports our community requires continual financial investment — everything from fixing broken pipes to removing sediment from inside catch basins, and much more. You can read more about how Surface Water Management fees pay for these vital services at Hillsboro-Oregon.gov/LocalServiceFee.