Firstly, we should be more accurate with our language. A sewer is not the same as a storm drain, except in older cities. Storm drains are allowed to flow to rivers and oceans while sewers flow to wastewater treatment facilities, before being discharged.

Second, we don’t need bigger and better storm drains, we need less hardscape. Trees, gravel, woodchips, dirt, all reduce the peak flow into the storm drain, while roofs, driveways, sidewalks all increase it. The city should be using aerial photos to assess the stormwater fee, by how much impervious area is on each parcel. Then you’ll see people wise up and you don’t have to dig up the streets replacing storm drains.