Stormwater & Drainage

Stormwater Management

The purpose of stormwater management is to diminish threats to public health and safety caused by floodwaters; reduce economic losses to individuals and the community at large; enhance broader social and economic objectives; protect, conserve, and promote the orderly development of land and water resources; prevent victimization and fraud; and to comply with the guidelines for the National Flood Insurance Program as published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

All new construction projects whether for a single family home, an entire subdivision or industrial park, or shopping center must incorporate storm water management practices. Soil erosion and sediment control measures, storm water conveyance and detention, and special management areas, and best management practices are reviewed for compliance with the Village and Countywide storm water management ordinances. These two ordinances together are one of the most stringent storm water and flood plain management codes in the nation.

To reference the DuPage County Countywide Stormwater and Floodplain Ordinance, click here. To reference the Village of Addison Stormwater and Floodplain Management Ordinance, click here. Specific storm water and flood plain management requirements when preparing an engineering site development plan for a proposed project within the Village.

To learn more about Stormwater Management, click here for our Guide to Stormwater Management. To learn more about drainage easements and their critical role in conveying stormwater overland, away from properties, click here.

To download information on the Addison Stormwater Management Program, click here.

Village of Addison Stormwater Management Certification Application

Floodplain and Floodway

Flood Plain is land that is adjacent to and including a body of water where ground surface elevations are at or below a specified flood elevation, and the floodway is the channel and that portion of the flood plain adjacent to a stream or water course that is needed to convey the base flood. Both the flood plain and floodway are special management areas which require special permitting.

To view the Village of Addison Flood Information and Community Rating System Outreach Project Brochure, including the FEMA Floodplain Map, click here. 

Development requirements for projects within the floodplain can be found in the DuPage County Countywide Stormwater and Flood Plain Ordinance and the Village of Addison Stormwater and Floodplain Management Ordinance. For additional information, checkout the flood links on the External Links page.

Water Quality and Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Improving the quality of water discharged into our ponds, streams, and creeks within the Village has taken on greater importance because of the Federal Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge System Phase II (NPDES PII) implementation. 

For information regarding protecting water quality, click here.

The Village has been implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs) for some time now. Village implemented BMPs include requiring construction entrances and silt filter fence around construction sites, installation of French drains and drywells, and providing education and technical expertise to contractors and homeowners.

For our brochure on Erosion and Sediment Control for Single Family Homes, click here.

For information on Best Management Practices, click here for our Guide.

Community Phosphorus Control

Why phosphorus?

Phosphorus, when in high quantities, can cause the excessive growth of algae in our ponds, lakes and oceans. This excess of phosphorus begins the process of eutrophication. Eutrophication happens when excess nutrients, like phosphorus, enter a body of water and cause an algal bloom. These blooms, when they die off, create an oxygen depletion in the water and subsequently the death of animal and plant life. Some ways phosphorus enters our streams and rivers are wastewater treatment plants and storm water run-off.

EPA Requirement of Phosphorus Removal

The EPA has mandated that NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit holders in Illinois began the process of phosphorus removal in their wastewater treatment plants. Currently, Addison’s wastewater treatment plants only remove about 33% of the incoming phosphorus. Even with this reduction, Addison does not meet the upcoming discharge limits that the EPA will require of us. What does this mean for Addison residents? Addison is asking that you help with the removal of Phosphorus by means of Best Management Practices (BMPs).

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPs)

BMPs are a practice, or combination of practices, that are determined to be an effective and practicable means of preventing or reducing the amount of pollution to a level compatible with water quality goals.

BMPs for households

In a study conducted by Addison’s Environmental Services Dept., approximately 55% of all phosphorus coming into our wastewater treatment plants is from residential sources. One way to remove some of this phosphorus is to replace your cleaning supplies that contain phosphorus. Always choose low and non-phosphorus cleaning supplies.

BMPs for stormwater runoff

Phosphorus also enters our waterways through our storm sewer system. This stormwater runoff feeds directly into our waterways, with no treatment! Use no-phosphorus fertilizer on lawns and gardens. Be sure to check the bags when you buy them. Look for the package formula of nitrate-phosphorus-potassium, such as 22-0-15. The middle number, representing phosphorus, should be 0.

Keep grass clippings in the lawn by ideally using a mulching mower. When mowing the grass, avoid blowing grass clippings into the street, where they block drainage structures and wash into storm sewers that drain to lakes and rivers.

Keep leaves and other organic matter out of the street. Again, they can block drainage structures causing local flooding and streets drain to storm sewers, which in turn drain to rivers and lakes.

For more information on nutrient pollution, please visit

https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution