News and Events
Preventative Maintenance Work Underway on City’s Storm Sewers
Information gathering and preventative maintenance is just one way Peoria Public Works can better protect and prolong the lifespan of the City’s more than 200 miles of storm sewers. Over the past nearly 18 months, the Engineering Division’s televising team has inspected around 1,500 pipes…
Student Workers Gain Green Infrastructure Experience
The City of Peoria Public Works Department’s Mayor’s Youth Program paired up with PeoriaCorps the week of Monday, July 19 to tackle cleanup efforts at the City’s Well Farm at Voris Field and improve its green infrastructure. The Mayor’s Youth Program’s mission is rooted in…
Stormwater Utility Benefits from City/County Partnership
Some Peoria high school students are in for an enriching summer as the Mayor’s Youth Program kicked off in downtown Peoria, Monday, June 7. This year’s program focuses on “going green.” And with that mission in mind, the students aren’t wasting any time getting started…
Why a stormwater utility?
After a heavy rain or snow, the water must go somewhere. Our city relies on a stormwater system of pipes, creeks, ravines, culverts and more to manage wet weather. This storm system needs upkeep to work as it should, which requires funding. The stormwater utility is a new dedicated funding stream — money set aside just for stormwater. For the first time ever, Peoria has a way to maintain and strengthen our crucial system for the wellbeing of our city.

Our city faces major wet weather issues.
Erosion. Old, crumbling pipes. Failing culverts that lead to sinkholes. Pollution. Every part of Peoria suffers from stormwater problems. With the stormwater utility, we can tackle stormwater challenges together, choosing proactive approaches that add beauty, save money and protect our waterways.
Your Utility At Work
Because Peoria’s stormwater utility is a dedicated funding stream, the money generated can only be used to manage wet weather issues. Funding from the stormwater utility will help us tackle our current backlog of 400+ stormwater projects. With each project, we strengthen the system we rely on daily. Take a look at some of our upcoming projects.
Stormwater Utility to Fund Retaining Wall and Storm Sewer Repairs
A Peoria Public Works contractor, Stark Excavating, Inc. is addressing a failing retaining wall and storm sewers the week of November 16. Work began near the intersection of North Prospect Road and North Humboldt Avenue and should be completed mid-December, weather pending. Traffic Changes Daytime…
Drainage Assistance Program Aids in Stormwater Improvements
Property owners and City benefit from infrastructure improvement partnership The Private Property Drainage Assistance (PPDA) program is closing out the year after awarding more than $116,000 in assistance to nearly two dozen grant recipients. Throughout 2020, these property owners completed projects that helped resolve various private stormwater infrastructure issues. …
The Silver Lining to Record Rainfall
On the last weekend of September, record rainfall besieged Peoria. Over a three-day period, the National Weather Service estimated that over four inches fell on the city. Unofficial reports in some areas of the city were as much as seven inches on Friday, September 27….

Do Your Part
Some wet weather problems (like replacing aging infrastructure) need to be tackled on a city-wide level. But you can do plenty of simple things on your own property to help reduce runoff — and possibly lower your stormwater utility bill, too.