Alexandria, VA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Billing unit
- 2,062 sq ft of impervious area
- Single-family rate
- 1.0 billing unit
- Large SFR rate (>2,800 sf)
- 1.67 billing units
- Current rate
- $340.30 per unit (Nov. 2025 bill)
- Billing
- Twice yearly with real estate tax
- Adjustment deadline
- 30 days of bill to director
- Appeal
- Alexandria Circuit Court
Summary
Every parcel in Alexandria pays an annual stormwater utility fee tied to impervious surface area under City Code Article C, billed twice a year with the real estate tax bill. Single-family homes are charged 1.0 billing unit (2,062 square feet of impervious area), rising to 1.67 units for large lots, funding drainage, flood mitigation and water-quality work citywide.
(a)A stormwater utility fee is hereby imposed on every parcel of real property in the city that appears on the real property assessment rolls as of January 1 of each year. All stormwater utility fees and other income from the fees shall be deposited into the stormwater utility enterprise fund for the sole purpose of funding the activities described in section 5-6-236.(b)The utility fee rate per billing unit for calculating the stormwater utility fee shall be set as follows:(1)For the stormwater utility fee bill due and payable on or before June 15, 2025, the utility fee rate per billing unit for calculating the stormwater utility fee shall be set at $324.10.(2)For the stormwater utility fee bill due and payable on or before November 15, 2025 and all bills thereafter, the utility fee rate per billing unit for calculating the stormwater utility fee shall be set at $340.30 annually.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 156 | Zoning: Supplement 103).
Full Breakdown
The city established its stormwater utility under Sec. 2-2114 and the Virginia Stormwater Management Act (Va. ). Under Sec. 5-6-233, a stormwater utility fee is imposed on every parcel appearing on the real property assessment rolls as of January 1 each year, with proceeds deposited into a dedicated stormwater utility enterprise fund used for flood control, dam and levee maintenance, water quality monitoring, and stormwater program administration under Sec. 5-6-236. The fee is set per 'billing unit,' defined in Sec. 5-6-232 as 2,062 square feet of impervious area.
Under Sec. 67 units; non-residential and multifamily parcels are billed by dividing total impervious area by 2,062 square feet and rounding up. 30 for the bill due November 15, 2025 and thereafter. Sec. 5-6-233(e) waives the fee entirely for MS4 permit holders' covered property, state and local rights-of-way, city-owned property, and cemeteries. Sec. 5-6-235 lets the director of transportation and environmental services grant full or partial fee credits to owners who install and maintain a stormwater facility that permanently reduces flow or pollutant loadings. Owners who believe the fee was miscalculated can petition the director in writing within 30 calendar days of the bill under Sec.
5-6-238, citing an impervious-area error, wrong property classification, an unapplied waiver or credit, or a math error; the director must decide within 30 days, and the decision is appealable to the Alexandria Circuit Court.
Violations & Fines
An unpaid stormwater utility fee becomes delinquent on the same date as the real estate tax bill and, under Sec. 5-6-237, draws the same penalty and interest the city applies to late real estate taxes, at the legal rate set by Va. Code § 6.2-301(A). Delinquent fees, penalties and interest become a lien on the property that ranks equally with unpaid tax liens and are collected the same way as delinquent real estate taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Alexandria's stormwater utility fee?
Is anyone exempt from the fee?
Can I get a credit for a rain garden or other stormwater facility?
How do I dispute my stormwater bill?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alexandria
Compare Alexandria to another location·View the Virginia environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.