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Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval is proposing to make the city’s Stormwater Management Utility a standalone agency by the beginning of 2027. The utility currently operates as a division of Greater Cincinnati Water Works and manages hundreds of miles of storm sewers and thousands of stormwater structures. The proposal follows significant flash flooding in Cincinnati this summer and would give the storm
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval is proposing to make the city’s Stormwater Management Utility a standalone agency.
He is doing this as the city responds to flooding concerns following severe summer storms.
The proposal would separate the Stormwater Management Utility from Greater Cincinnati Water Works, where it has operated as a division since 2016.
Pureval says the change would give the administration greater autonomy over stormwater planning and investments. It would also give greater autonomy over efforts to prevent and reduce future flash flooding.
“Elevating SMU to a standalone City agency will create a stronger and more visible center of responsibility for stormwater management. It will allow the City to focus leadership and expertise on flood-risk reduction, infrastructure maintenance, capital planning, water quality, regulatory compliance, neighborhood resilience, and transparent stewardship of stormwater service-charge revenue,” Pureval said in a statement.
Looking back to the recent flooding
Mayor Aftab Pureval said Cincinnati’s flash-flooding events on July 17 and July 21 underscored the risks that intense rainfall and overwhelmed drainage systems pose to residents, neighborhoods, businesses and public infrastructure.
In a statement supporting his proposal to make the city’s Stormwater Management Utility a standalone agency, Pureval said the July flooding, along with recurring localized flooding in other parts of Cincinnati, highlights the need for sustained leadership and targeted investment in stormwater management.
Pureval said the city also needs coordinated operations and a comprehensive approach to improving stormwater resilience as Cincinnati faces the risks associated with intense rainfall.
Stormwater agency could be established by 2027
Pureval submitted a motion to Cincinnati City Council directing the city administration to establish the Stormwater Management Utility as a standalone agency by the beginning of 2027.
Under the proposal, the agency would be responsible for coordinating and carrying out the city’s stormwater management and infrastructure. It would also handle flood protection, compliance and resilience efforts.
The proposed agency would report to the city manager. The administration would also review stormwater-related responsibilities, personnel, funding and services currently located in other city departments. The review will determine whether they should move under the new agency.
The proposal comes after significant flash flooding in Cincinnati during the summer. In addition, Pureval said the restructuring could provide more flexibility for decisions involving budgets, infrastructure investments and long-term flood mitigation.
Read the motion here.
SMU manages hundreds of miles of storm sewers
The Stormwater Management Utility currently operates as a division of Greater Cincinnati Water Works but is independently funded and operated.
The utility manages more than 300 miles of storm sewers and approximately 30,500 inlet and intake structures. It also manages more than 6,000 storm sewer manholes, the Mill Creek Barrier Dam and four pump stations.
SMU’s revenue primarily comes from stormwater charges paid by Cincinnati property owners. The money is placed in a restricted fund and is designated for stormwater management rather than the city’s general fund. City budget documents show the utility brings in about $31 million annually.
Cincinnati’s current budget also includes $115,000 for a cost-of-service study related to a potential future stormwater rate increase. This increase could help fund drainage projects.
“A standalone SMU should not operate in isolation. Its success will require formal and sustained collaboration with departments responsible for streets, parks, buildings, environmental services, recreation facilities, emergency communications, public safety, planning, development review, and neighborhood services. Establishing a distinct agency will provide the leadership and accountability needed to coordinate those efforts around a unified citywide strategy,” the mayor said.
City has moved SMU before
The Stormwater Management Utility has changed organizational homes several times since it was created.
Cincinnati City Council established SMU within the Department of Public Works in 1984. It moved to the Metropolitan Sewer District in 1995 before being transferred to Greater Cincinnati Water Works in 2016.
The mayor’s proposal would therefore represent another organizational change for the city’s stormwater operation.
Pureval has also pointed to a distinction between SMU and the Metropolitan Sewer District. While SMU manages stormwater, MSD primarily handles wastewater, and the two systems can have different objectives when dealing with stormwater runoff.
City Council committee to consider proposal
The proposal has been referred to Cincinnati City Council’s Budget, Finance and Governance Committee.
The committee is scheduled to consider the matter at its Sept. 28, 2026, meeting. The proposal would still need to move through the city’s legislative process before the Stormwater Management Utility becomes a standalone agency.
For now, SMU remains a division of Greater Cincinnati Water Works, according to the city’s stormwater website.
FAQs
What is Cincinnati’s Stormwater Management Utility?
The Stormwater Management Utility manages Cincinnati’s stormwater drainage system. Its responsibilities include storm sewer infrastructure, stormwater management and flood-related projects.
How is Cincinnati’s stormwater system funded?
The utility is primarily funded through stormwater charges paid by Cincinnati property owners. The revenue is restricted for stormwater management purposes.
Could the proposal increase stormwater fees?
A potential future rate increase is being studied separately. Cincinnati’s current budget includes $115,000 for a cost-of-service study related to a possible future stormwater rate increase. The proposed agency itself does not automatically establish a new rate.
Why does the mayor want to make SMU a standalone agency?
Mayor Aftab Pureval says separating SMU from Greater Cincinnati Water Works would give the administration greater autonomy over stormwater planning, budgeting and investments.
