Home / Resources / Lower Your Stormwater Bill
How to Lower Your Peoria Stormwater Bill
What Peoria’s stormwater fee is based on, the credits and grants the city lists for managing runoff, and the yard changes that can actually reduce what you pay.
Ways to cut it
- Rain barrels: city grant listed
- Rain gardens
- Permeable pavers
- Less hard surface
- Apply through Public Works
Short answer
How is the Peoria stormwater fee calculated?
It’s based on impervious area: roofs, driveways, patios and other hard surfaces on your property. The city bills in units of 1,000 square feet of hard surface. The rate started at $3 per unit in 2018, rose to $5 by 2021, and since 2022 has been adjusted each year for inflation, so check your bill for the current rate.
What does an average home pay? In the city’s own example from the program launch, an average home had about 2,600 square feet of hard surface, or 2.6 billing units. Multiply your billing units by the current rate on your bill.
Credits and grants
What the city offers
| Program | What the city lists |
|---|---|
| Rain barrel grant | $50 per barrel, up to two barrels; one-time reimbursement, no application fee. Barrels must be emptied within 72 hours. |
| Rain gardens | Eligible for credits or incentives; any size helps. |
| Permeable pavement | Eligible for credits or incentives. |
| Green infrastructure grant | Listed with a $20 application fee. |
Applications go to Peoria Public Works. The city reviews them within 30 working days. The City Council sets which credits and grants are available, so confirm the current program before you build. Questions: stormwater@peoriagov.org.
Yard changes
Landscaping changes that help
Rain garden
A shallow planted basin that catches roof runoff and lets it soak in. Native plants handle the wet-dry swings well.
Permeable pavers
For a new patio or walkway, pavers with open joints over a stone base let rain soak through. See patios.
Less pavement
Removing an unused slab or extra driveway width and replanting reduces your hard surface.
These also help with soggy yards. See fixing yard drainage in clay soil.
FAQ
Stormwater fee questions
Is the stormwater fee a tax?
The city describes it as a fee for service, based on hard surfaces, not a property tax.
Does a new patio raise my fee?
Adding hard surface can add billing units. Permeable pavers may qualify for credits.
Does this apply in East Peoria or Peoria Heights?
No. This is the City of Peoria’s program.
Sources: City of Peoria Stormwater Utility FAQ · City of Peoria Credits and Grants. Checked November 2026.
Related: Peoria rules · Drainage · All guides
Planning a rain garden or permeable patio? Get an estimate
Call or request a free written estimate. We will get back to you within [RESPONSE TIME].