Stormwater Utility Division

It is important to know that although the Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department (WASD) provides potable water and sewer services to City residents, the City of Doral is the entity in charge of the publicly owned stormwater infrastructure in the City. As part of the Billing of Stormwater Charges Agreement between the Miami-Dade County and the City of Doral, WASD bills on behalf of the City, $4.00 per month to each residential unit and $4.00 per 1548 SF of the total impervious area to each commercial property. The money collected by WASD is then returned to the City and used to maintain, operate and improve the stormwater infrastructure including the regional stormwater system of canals and culverts, as well as catch basins, connection piping and french drains on public Rights-of-Way.

 View a sample of a water bill here
Please see sample Water and Sewer bill statement (2nd page) where you can see the Stormwater Utility charges how they appear in your bill. If you should have any questions regarding these charges,
please feel free to contact us at  305-593-6740 or email  publicworks@cityofdoral.com.

What is Stormwater?

Stormwater is water that originates from rain that runs off streets, lawns and other sites (also called stormwater runoff). The water may seep into the ground, flow in ditches or streams, or enter the storm drain system. The storm drains are what you see at the street corners or at low points on the sides of your streets. The storm drains then lead to a discharge point directly into the groundwater or one of the many canals within the City of Doral via an outfall. This flow of water will eventually discharge into larger water bodies (Primary Canal Systems and/or Ocean).

Canals have a small amount of relatively clean baseflow that is caused by groundwater recharge and high water tables. In rain events, this baseflow is supplemented by stormwater runoff from impermeable surfaces (impermeable surface do not allow passage of fluids such as paved roads, concrete driveways, parking lots and sidewalks). Stormwater runoff is major issue as it tends to pick up garbage, chemicals, oils, etc.

The Stormwater Utility Department is responsible for the effective and efficient management of the stormwater runoff drainage infrastructure on public right-of-way utility within the City boundaries. As part of the effective management of the system, the Stormwater Utility Department implements various programs to maintain and improve infrastructure. This program include street sweeping, catch basin and drainage cleanup, canal maintenance, drainage improvements and new construction to minimize potential flooding. In 2021, the City developed a Stormwater Master Plan which included design and construction of new stormwater improvements to address flooding issues within the City. This type of pollution is called nonpoint source (NPS) pollution and is more of a problem than direct discharges from commercial industries plants.

Stormwater Master Plan
 Stormwater Master Plan Flooding Determination and Responsibility

WHY DOES IT MATTER?… CAUSE AND EFFECT…
The result of polluted stormwater runoff is the loss of flora, fauna, and the pollution of our water resources!

HOW TO PROTECT STORMWATER QUALITY AND DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE….

These are steps that can help us avoid polluting:

• Conserve and recycle resources such as paper, plastic, glass, metals, oils, etc. at your closest recycling center.
• Do not dump hazardous substances such as used oil, household chemicals, yard fertilizers, or other wastes onto pavement, patios or into storm drains. Properly dispose of household chemicals at your local home chemical collection centers.

• Practice street sweeping, picking up litter and disposing leaves and yard waste.Do not dump grass clippings, leaves or branches into the storm drains.
• Prevent excess runoffs of pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides by using them efficiently.
• Participate in local garbage and debris pickup days and recycle household hazardous materials to prevent storm drain contamination.
• Participate in stormwater protection and public group education on stormwater quality.
• Promote maintenance on private storm drainage systems.
• Remember to always pickup after your pet and dispose of pet waste in a nearby trash receptacle.
• Do not litter! The City has installed several recycling and non-recycling trash receptacles throughout the City of Doral to help remove litter from our streets.

MAINTENANCE
Without proper maintenance, the stormwater drainage system would have a very short useful life. This will result in costly repairs or potential replacement of the entire system and subsequently will cause flooding!

Do not treat your drainage system like a garbage disposal. Keep ditches, swales, drainage grates and retention lakes clear of debris, trash and other discarded material.
 Proper use of Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fertilizers

Support your required funding for proposed flood control solution. Long term fixes require long-term financial commitments.

Report illegal dumping to City of Doral Public Works Department at  305-593-6740, or email us at  publicworks@cityofdoral.com. You may also contact Miami-Dade County at 311 or  305-372-6955.

Properly dispose of Household Chemicals at the:
Home Chemical Collection Center at West Dade
 8831 NW 58th Street
Regular hours of operation are Wednesday through Sunday from  9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
For information call 3-1-1,  305-468-5900 or visit  Home Chemical Collection Centers