FAQs • Ponca City • CivicEngage

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Stormwater

1. Why does the city care if I blow my grass and leaves into the street or gutters?: Yard waste and other debris that lands in the gutters and ditches eventually winds up in our storm sewer system. During a heavy storm event, those extra solids can clog the pipes and cause flooding in streets, flooding in houses, and even endanger people’s lives. Writing citations to people who choose to use the storm sewers as their own personal trash can is one of the many ways that the City protects against that damage. Plus, these laws help the City maintain its Community Rating System score – a tool that insurance companies use to give homeowners of Ponca City a 25% discount on their flood insurance policies.

2. What stormwater detention requirements and discharge permits apply in Ponca City?: The City of Ponca City prohibits an increase in stormwater runoff by development of all new commercial / industrial development projects and residential development projects above a certain size or in a critical area. This requirement is met by storing stormwater on site and releasing it at a controlled rate. Questions about these requirements can be addressed to the Engineering Division at (580) 767-0326.
If you are planning construction activities that will disturb more than one acre, you must have a Stormwater Discharge Permit from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ). Certain industrial activities also require ODEQ permits to discharge uncontaminated stormwater runoff.

Clean drains around your home, including roof gutters, and maintain your downspouts and downspout extensions to direct roof drainage away from your house.

Clean inlets and grates around your house. Do not remove inlet grates to dispose of materials as the inlet grates protect the pipes from plugging. A plugged grate is much easier to clean than a plugged pipe.

Keep drainage ditches, drain pipes, culverts, and other types of stormwater drainage devices clear of sediment.

Keep loose debris picked up on your lot. Plastic bags and plastic milk jugs can plug inlets.

Remove any obstruction in the street gutter or drainage way on your lot. At least twice per year, the City will sweep all street gutters. To accommodate street sweeping, please park in drives.

Report any obstruction or damage of a drainage channel to the Street Division at (580) 767-0409. The City cleans all catch basins at least twice per year and cleans all inlets after every rainfall greater than one inch.

Secure your trash cans and trash can lids so they cannot wash away when flooding conditions are threatening. These are another source of plugging inlets and pipes.

Use a mulching mower to reduce leaves to small pieces that will pass through storm gates. Leaves clogging storm drains are a major source of blockage of inlets. Leaves can also be raked and collected into compost piles, where the leaves will be naturally broken down into humus materials.

Do not dump trash or pollutants into the stormwater drainage system. If you see any illegal dumping, report it to the Public Works Administrative Assistant at (580) 767-0453.

5. Hasn't the City always had storm drains? Nothing has changed at my home/business. Why am I being charged now when I wasn't several years ago?: Yes, the City has had storm drains for a long time. However, the federal regulations that require a comprehensive storm water quality management program are relatively new. The utility fee enables the City to meet its responsibilities to manage the storm drain system more closely, study the contents of storm water, seek out and eliminate illicit connections and illegal dumping, enforce codes more strictly, and educate citizens.

6. Why are the storm water and sanitary sewer systems separate?: Unlike waste water, which is treated before it is released back into the environment, storm water goes directly into a community's ponds, streams and lakes. Because storm water comes in large amounts at unpredictable times, treating it as waste would be very expensive.