About Us

Overview
KC Water manages 630 miles of sewers and more than 53,000 stormwater inlets. We also operate 15 flood pump stations and maintain six stormwater detention basins. We clean 18,000 storm inlets and repairs and replaces 300 catch basins annually.

KC Water also manages 13.7 miles of levees and floodwalls along the Missouri River or its tributaries in the area, with an additional 2.2 miles under construction. Utility and construction work within the critical zone of levees requires additional review by the KC Water Stormwater Engineering Division. To see the levee-protected areas in the Kansas City region, visit the National Levee Database here.

Kansas City, Missouri is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Community Rating System (CRS), which can help residents prevent or reduce flood losses. Please click here to learn more.

KC Water Updates Stormwater Management Plan
KC Water has drafted an update to the Stormwater Management Plan in effect since 2019. The proposed draft plan describes strategies and practices the City implements to manage the discharge of pollutants from the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System and  is required by the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Discharge Permit issued by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) in September 2018.

KC Water received comments through July 1, 2022 on the proposed plan, which is posted below and is undergoing final review. The current 2019 Stormwater Management Plan also is posted below. For further information, contact Jing Tao, Stormwater Engineering Division, at 816-513-0371 or Jing.Tao@kcmo.org.

Property Owners and Tenants Information

• How much do I pay for Stormwater Services?
  The Stormwater Fee is calculated as $0.50 per 500 square feet of impervious area. The average Stormwater Fee is $2 to $3 per month.
• What does my Stormwater Fee pay for?
  The Stormwater Fee covers the cost of stormwater planning and maintenance of the stormwater system. It cannot be used to expand the system (new construction).
• Who is responsible for stormwater?
  Stormwater is a natural resource and each property owner can collect the stormwater that falls on their property. The City has a storm drainage collection system. The City also has regulations concerning the impacts that individuals can have on the storm drainage system including how much can be discharged and limitations on development in streams that could impact adjacent property owners.
• Am I at risk of being flooded?

  The City considers there to be four primary ways that a property could flood. A property can be flooded by one or more of these flood types. The majority of properties in Kansas City are at risk from at least one of these types of flooding.

  Source	Affect
  1. Floodplain	Water rising out of the creek and goes into your property.
  2. Hillside Drainage	Water trying to get to the creek and goes through your property.
  3. Groundwater	Water seeps through the ground, hits bedrock, and flows underground to your basement.
  4. Sewer Backup	Water enters the wastewater lines, either through seepage or through the combined sewer, and backs up into your house.

  Visit the City’s parcel viewer to see your risk from Type 1 – Floodplain flooding. If your property is not within the identified floodplains, your risk is unidentified.

• How do I report flooding on my property?
  You can report flooding on your property through the City’s 311 system.
• What can I do about flooding?

  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) provide resources to help understand and manage flood risk.

  Become educated
  Look at the City’s Parcel Viewer to understand your risk from river flooding. Look around your property. Does the ground slope towards any of your structures? Is there land near you that is higher than your property? If so, you may be at risk. Review the Quick Guide from the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency for detailed information about understanding river flooding.

  Purchase Flood Insurance
  Anyone can purchase flood insurance. Visit FEMA’s website for more information.

  Floodproof your property
  Refer to FEMA’s booklet: Homeowner’s Guide to Retrofitting, FEMA P-312

• What can the City do about flooding?
  The City manages flooplains through the Development Codes, constructs public projects to help reduce the risk from flooding, and, in some cases, assists with flooding issues on private property. To request a project in your neighborhood, submit an application to the Public Improvements Advisory Committee.
• What can I do if I have a stormwater concern?

  Contact the City through 311 or the myKCMO app: 311 Action Center – Report an Issue Page

  Request a project to address flooding issues through the City’s Public Improvements Advisory Committee: Public Improvements Advisory Committee.

  GO Bond Question 2, approved 2017, providing $150 Million over 20 years to reduce risk from flooding.

• Flood Survival Guide
  The Complete Guide to Flood Safety and Preparedness is provided by Alarms.org, the official site of the National Council for Home Safety and Security.

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (M4) Permit
Proposed Update: Stormwater Management Plan
Stormwater Management Program Plan 2019-20
FY23 Annual MS4 Report
FY22 Annual MS4 Report»
FY21 Annual MS4 Report »
FY20 Annual MS4 Report »
FY19 Annual MS4 Report »
FY18 Annual MS4 Report »
FY17 Annual MS4 Report »
FY16 Annual MS4 Report »
FY15 Annual MS4 Report »
FY14 Annual MS4 Report »