Johns Creek warns stormwater utility bills arrive in July, due Aug. 31

Johns Creek property owners will soon get a stormwater bill tied directly to the neighborhood drainage system that keeps streets and yards from flooding. The city says the bills will begin arriving in the first week of July and must be paid by Monday, Aug. 31, or a 10% late fee will be added.

The charge applies to property owners in Johns Creek, including homes and businesses, and the city says it is based on how much runoff a parcel creates. That means properties with more rooftops, driveways and other paved areas generally carry a higher bill than smaller, greener lots. Johns Creek says the money is not a general tax: it is a user-fee system dedicated only to operating and administering the stormwater program.

Bills come directly from the City of Johns Creek and can be paid on the city website. Residents can use the Look Up My Property tool to find a Customer Number before submitting payment. Paper checks can also be mailed to City Hall at 11360 Lakefield Drive, Johns Creek, GA 30097, or paid in person at the Revenue Counter at the same address.

The city says the fee helps maintain, repair and replace the pipes and inlets that drain neighborhoods and roadways. That matters in a city that says it operates and maintains 150 miles of underground pipes and more than 5,000 catch basins. Johns Creek says the stormwater utility exists because a 2020 citywide assessment found aging pipes that needed repair and replacement, and because stormwater management is required under state and federal water-quality rules.

Johns Creek officially established the utility on June 21, 2021, under Ordinance 2021-06-18. Since then, the city has billed property owners on an annual cycle, with nearly identical notices in 2024 and 2025 showing bills arriving in July and due by Aug. 31. The recurring schedule makes the fee as predictable as a water or power bill, but the city wants residents to see it as a drainage charge tied to the pavement and roofing that send rainwater into the system.

The penalty structure is steep. Along with the 10% late fee after Aug. 31, Johns Creek says a 1% monthly interest fee starts Dec. 1, 2026 for the unpaid 2026 amount and continues on the first of each month for earlier billing years that remain unpaid.

For Forsyth County readers watching how fast-growing suburbs pay for stormwater work, Johns Creek offers a clear model: shift the cost to the properties that create runoff, then use the revenue to keep the pipes, catch basins and neighborhood drainage systems working before the next heavy rain arrives.