Last Updated 04/12/2026
Stormwater Management in Florida
Stormwater runoff is generated from rain events that flow over land or impervious surfaces, such as paved streets, parking lots and building rooftops, and does not soak into the ground. The runoff picks up pollutants like trash, chemicals, oils, and dirt/sediment that can harm our rivers, streams and lakes. To protect these resources, municipalities, construction and industries activities, and others use stormwater controls, known as best management practices (BMPs), to manage their runoff. The implementation of these practices, which include BMP design, performance and adaptive management requirements, prevent pollution by controlling it at its source.
When rain falls on lawns, forests and fields, the water not absorbed by plants filters through the soil before reaching and replenishing Florida’s groundwater supply. Ninety percent of the state’s drinking water is supplied by groundwater.
To learn more about stormwater management and maintenance in your local area, schedule a FREE consultation today!
Permits
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulates activities that generate stormwater runoff. Projects that alter the natural flow of water or increase the amount of stormwater runoff are regulated by the department’s Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) program. DEP also regulates activities that have the potential to increase pollutant loads to water bodies or to municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) as covered by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
ERP stormwater permits:
- Are required for projects that alter land topography to the extent that there is a significant increase in the site’s stormwater runoff;
- Authorize the construction of a stormwater management system; and
- Require the owner of the management system to maintain it in perpetuity.
- Are required to treat stormwater runoff associated with construction activities, industrial activities and MS4s;
- Require permittees to develop and implement a stormwater pollution prevention plan or stormwater management plan;
- Require permittees to minimize and control pollution;
- Require the implementation of structural and nonstructural best management practices; and
- Require periodic audits, inspections and monitoring to ensure compliance with the permit.
Responsibility of Stormwater Systems
In Florida, the responsibility for permitting most stormwater systems rests with the water management districts. After developers complete construction of permitted systems in residential areas, the permit and the legal responsibility for maintaining these systems are typically passed on to a homeowners or condominium owners association, or property management companies.
View State Page
Resources
Northwest Florida Water Managements District
View Resource
Suwannee River Water Management District
View Resource
St. Johns River Water Management District
View Resource
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Florida care so much about stormwater runoff specifically?
Because most of the state’s drinking water comes from groundwater. Rain falling on lawns, forests, and fields filters through soil and replenishes that supply, but runoff from paved streets, parking lots, and rooftops picks up trash, chemicals, oils, and sediment instead of filtering through, sending pollutants straight into rivers, streams, and lakes.
What is an Environmental Resource Permit, and does my project need one?
An ERP is required for any project that alters land topography enough to significantly increase the site’s stormwater runoff. It authorizes construction of the stormwater management system itself, and importantly, it requires the owner to maintain that system in perpetuity, not just through construction.
Lorem ipsum Does Florida require a stormwater plan for construction and industrial activities too?dolor sit amet
Yes, separately from the ERP program. Permits covering construction activities, industrial activities, and MS4s require permittees to develop and implement a stormwater pollution prevention plan or stormwater management plan, minimize and control pollution, and implement both structural and nonstructural BMPs.
Who checks whether my Florida property is actually following its stormwater permit?
DEP requires periodic audits, inspections, and monitoring to confirm compliance. That oversight applies on an ongoing basis rather than only at the point of initial permit approval.
Who actually issues stormwater permits in Florida, DEP or someone else?
In practice, responsibility for permitting most stormwater systems rests with the state’s water management districts rather than DEP directly. Which district has jurisdiction depends on where your property sits, since Florida is divided among five districts: Northwest Florida, Suwannee River, St. Johns River, Southwest Florida, and South Florida.
If I buy a home or condo in a Florida development, do I inherit stormwater maintenance responsibility?
Often, yes. After developers complete construction of a permitted system in a residential development, the permit and the legal responsibility for maintaining it typically pass to a homeowners association, condominium owners association, or property management company, rather than staying with the original developer.
Does my ERP stormwater permit ever expire in Florida?
Not in the way a typical time-limited permit does. The requirement to maintain the stormwater management system applies in perpetuity, meaning the maintenance obligation continues indefinitely rather than ending after a set number of years.
How can AQUALIS help my property navigate Florida's stormwater permitting requirements?
AQUALIS helps Florida property owners, HOAs, and property management companies maintain ERP-permitted stormwater systems to the state’s perpetual maintenance standard, prepare the stormwater pollution prevention plans required for construction and industrial permits, and manage the audits and inspections DEP and the water management districts require.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Regulations change frequently — AQUALIS makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of this content, and any reliance on it is at your own risk. Consult a qualified professional or your local regulatory authority to confirm requirements applicable to your specific property.
