Henry County, GA Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

The Henry County Board of Commissioners created the stormwater management utility by Ordinance No. 12-19 in November 2012 to fund drainage, water-quality, and floodplain-management work required under the county's federal NPDES Phase II stormwater permit. Section 3-5-504 places the core obligation directly on landowners: all property owners and developers of developed real property in the county must provide, manage, maintain, and operate on-site stormwater systems sufficient to collect, convey, detain, and discharge stormwater safely; failing to do so is declared a nuisance, and the county can sue to abate it, place a lien on the property for the cost of the work, and enter the property to inspect or test compliance.

Funding comes from a service charge set out in § 3-5-506, billed to every developed parcel in the service area based primarily on impervious surface. 83 per IU. Lands inside the cities of Stockbridge, McDonough, Hampton, and Locust Grove are exempt from the charge under § 3-5-508 unless their city adopts an interlocal stormwater agreement with the county, and county roads, GDOT rights-of-way, and Henry County Water Authority treatment and pumping facilities are exempt as well. A customer who disputes a bill can appeal in writing to the stormwater utility director, then to the county manager, and finally to the board of commissioners under § 3-5-509, with 30 days allowed at each stage.