The City of Bloomington Utilities Department (CBU) is encouraging homeowners to apply for funding through the sixth annual Residential Stormwater Grant Program.
CBU helps homeowners in the area pay for environmentally friendly drainage projects. The projects range from rain gardens and bioswales, to detention pond maintenance. Residents who experience standing water, flooding or soil erosion near their homes may be interested in this program.
CBU hosted a meeting open to the public about the application process and project requirements on April 18, 2024. Prospective applicants must apply by 5 pm on September 1, 2024, to be considered for the 2024 review period.
CBU provides the grants to residents for sustainable stormwater runoff projects on private residential property. The projects help control stormwater runoff before it enters local waterways.
In 2023 the program funded six projects ranging from $1,500 to $11,000 and included things like rain gardens, dry creek beds and other drainage stabilization projects. Stormwater revenue also funds things like green infrastructure improvements in city projects to replace aging infrastructure. The projects focus on improving stormwater management in the community.
A committee will review and rank the applications to determine which projects to fund and how much each will receive. Projects will be selected based on their potential to improve drainage and reduce contaminants discharged into local waterways.
Projects containing more than one property, or residing in low-income areas as designated by the census, will be preferred. Recipients will be funded by CBU for projects that improve stormwater quantity and quality, other parts of a proposed project that don’t contribute to stormwater will need to be paid for by the residents.
