Public Works & Utilities "I Want To's..."

Apply for a fill permit

Fill permits are required in Duluth if more than ten yards of material will be used. Permit applications are only available in paper form from the Building Safety office, 2nd floor of City Hall.

Apply for Utility Service

You can find information and apply here.

Buy a rain barrel!

Rain barrels are a popular way to capture rain water for use around the home and yard. The City does not sell rain barrels but do to their popular demand here are some links to suppliers who we have worked with.

ECO Duluth
(219) 626-1118
www.ecolivingspace.com

Rain Barrels and More
(877) 888-5609
www.rainbarrelsandmore.com

Do my part to protect Duluth’s streams and Lake Superior

Protecting Duluth’s stormwater is easy. Think of your curb and gutter as lakeshore property- remember that whatever is on the street that washes down into a storm drain runs straight into our local streams and then Lake Superior. Don’t blow your leaves and grass clippings into the street. Sweep up road salt in the spring. Pick up pet droppings. Wash your car on the lawn where the soapy water can soak into the ground, not the driveway where the water will flow into the storm sewer. Don’t litter- much of that trash ends up in our lakes and streams.

Learn about Duluth’s streams

There are 43 named streams within Duluth’s City limits and twelve of these are designated Trout streams. In partnership with the University of Minnesota, Duluth NRRI, we monitor four of these streams. Near real time data from these stream monitors is available for viewing at www.duluthstreams.org or www.lakesuperiorstreams.org

Learn about rain gardens

Rain gardens are a popular way to control and reduce stormwater runoff. However, in our clay soils and extremely cold climate they require more maintenance than in other parts of the country. For more information on rain gardens please check the following websites. www.duluthstreams.org

Learn about stormwater

Stormwater is rainwater and snowmelt that collects on the surface of the ground. As this water runs downhill it can cause erosion. It can also pick up sediment and pollutants and carry them to the nearest waterway. Since stormwater is not treated, the pollutants
stay in the receiving water and degrade the water quality.

Learn about stormwater safety

Stormwater safety is very important. Catch basins plugged with leaves can create pools of standing water that may hide deep water or hazardous undercurrents. During and after a heavy rain events and during snowmelt creeks may rise quickly. Always stay away
from the rapidly flowing water.

Learn how my stormwater fees are used

Everyone in Duluth pays a monthly stormwater fee. This money goes to maintaining the City’s storm sewer system of over 300 miles of pipe, 100 miles of ditches, 11,000 catch basins, and 3000 culverts. City crews are constantly cleaning, televising, and making repairs on the system.

Learn why the beaches are closed

Duluth’s beaches are occasionally closed for public safety when coliform bacteria are detected in the water around the beach. Recently, several studies out of the University of Minnesota Duluth have proved that the majority of the bacteria is from the thousands of geese, ducks, and sea gulls that live in the harbor, not
from human waste.

Reduce my stormwater fee

Residential stormwater fees are based on impervious surface. Impervious surface is any area that does not allow water to penetrate and soak into the ground such as a driveway or rooftop. At this time there are no programs available to reduce residential stormwater fees. Non-residential accounts can qualify for a reduced rate by installing an approved, engineered Best Management Practice (BMP). The reduction is applied for the portion of the impervious surface that is captured by the BMP.

Please call 218-730-4130 for more information about stormwater rates.

Report a stormwater problem

To report any illegal dumping please call 218-730-4130 during business hours or 218-730-4100 evenings and weekends.

View Duluth’s annual stormwater report

The city of Duluth tracks all of its stormwater related activities throughout the year and publishes them in the City’s annual report. Activities from 2007 are summarized in the table and bullets at the bottom of the page.