A stormwater user fee is a financial charge for stormwater services. It is a user fee and not a tax. A stormwater utility, like all utilities, is user-oriented. Similar to water/sewer user fees, stormwater fees are based on a property’s use of, or demand on, the public drainage system and stormwater management services. Across the country and in Tennessee, it has been shown that stormwater user fees are a fair approach to supplement the cost of providing stormwater services to those who most directly benefit from them. Beginning with fiscal year 2026, the stormwater fee is billed on the monthly water bill that Belle Meade residents pay to the Metro Water Department. The Belle Meade stormwater fee is collected at a monthly rate and remitted back to the City of Belle Meade.
