Stormwater Management Programs In Your Community

Everyone contributes to stormwater pollution problems - everyone must be part of the solution. All real property experiences stormwater run-on and runoff regardless if a drainage concern exists on that specific piece of property or not. Even if your property has never flooded, the stormwater that flows off your property must be managed so that it does not contribute to flooding or pollution in areas downstream. Whether you live in a condominium, a suburban home or in an urban setting, stormwater is an issue.

NPDES Phase II is an unfunded federal mandate that requires many of our local governments to implement a comprehensive stormwater management program. Some are paying for stormwater programs out of the general fund for the initial phase of their stormwater management program. Some may charge a flat rate, meaning that all property owners pay the same amount. Flat rates make billing easier because of its simplicity. It eliminates the need to measure the impervious surface area of each property and calculate individual rates within the service area. The flat rate is generally very low and provides sufficient funding for initial stormwater management activities within the comprehensive program during the first years of the program.

Some of the larger cities like Greensboro and High Point have instituted a stormwater utility. Though this option is most equitable, it is also labor and technology intensive, and requires a considerable amount of upfront investment. This utility is based on the amount of impervious surface on a developed parcel and the amount of runoff that is generated from a property. Generally, this involves calculating an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU), which is the amount of impervious surface (measured in square feet) on a typical, single family, residential property. For every ERU, a stormwater utility fee is determined. The overall cost of a local government’s comprehensive stormwater management program will dictate the fee for one ERU.

The number of local governments using stormwater utilities is expected to grow as cities and towns face the increased costs that come with developing stormwater programs to meet new federal requirements.