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Find my drainage charge

Austin's drainage charge is assessed on utility bills and pays for solutions to flooding, erosion and water pollution.

Public Hearing on Proposed Rate Increase

A public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at 10 a.m., at Austin City Hall, 301 West Second Street, Austin, Texas. The purpose of the hearing is to discuss the proposed change to the drainage charge as part of the Fiscal Year 2024-25 proposed budget for the Watershed Protection Department. The proposed rate is $0.06780 / impervious cover square foot per year ($0.00565 / impervious cover square foot per month). That is an annual change of $14.52 for a residential customer with 3,100 square feet of impervious cover and 37% impervious cover.

Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely. 

Drainage Charge Calculation

The drainage charge is calculated individually for each property, based on the amount and percent of impervious cover. Less impervious cover means a lower charge.

What is impervious cover? It includes:

  • Rooftops
  • Patios
  • Driveways, paved and unpaved
  • Parking lots, paved and unpaved
  • Other surfaces that do not absorb rainfall.

Impervious cover has a significant impact on stormwater. It increases the amount and speed of stormwater. It also increases the amount of pollutants in stormwater. To find out more about how impervious cover contributes to problems such as flooding, watch the video farther down the page.

What is My Impervious Cover?

Use the Find My Drainage Charge tool to see the impervious cover on your property. The Find My Drainage Charge tool works best with Internet Explorer 9 or higher, Firefox, Google Chrome or Safari.

  • Go to Find My Drainage Charge tool
  • If your information is unavailable, it may be due to a confidentiality request by the account holder. For more information, visit the Austin Energy Confidentiality & Customer Rights page.
  • Impervious cover may not be shown if the property was recently developed after the latest aerial photography was taken.

Stormwater Management Discount

If you collect rain water on your property, you may be eligible for a discount on your drainage charge. The discount is available to both residential and commercial properties. However, you must exceed development requirements to be eligible. Find out more about the Stormwater Management Discount.

Video: Pervious vs. Impervious Cover

Estimate Your Drainage Charge

If you are planning changes to the impervious cover at your property, you can use this calculator to estimate your drainage charge.

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