stormwater utilities in new england past, present, and...
TRANSCRIPT
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Stormwater Utilities in New England –
Past, Present, and Future
NEIWPCC
25th Annual Nonpoint Source Pollution Conference
April 29, 2014
AMEC Environment
& Infrastructure, Inc.
Kerry Reed, PE,
LEED AP
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2 © 2014 AMEC, all rights reserved
Overview . . .
Evolution of Stormwater Programs
How are Stormwater Programs funded?
National - New England Perspective
Lessons Learned
What’s Next?
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3 © 2014 AMEC, all rights reserved
Managing Stormwater: The History
Historic Paradigm Shift…
Collect and discharge (get it off your site as
fast as you can)
Separate stormwater systems
Don’t flood (control quantity/reduce peak flow)
Don’t pollute (control quality with better BMPs)
Be accountable (NPDES compliance)
Green Management (innovation and reuse)
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Managing Stormwater: New England
For most communities……
Aging infrastructure with Combined Sewer Systems
Focused on maintenance and compliance
CIP (e.g. upgrades) handled on case-by-case basis
No dedicated funding for stormwater – most funding comes
from general fund
Dispersed responsibilities amongst DPW & other departments
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5
Funding Options
General Funds
Bonds
User-Fee
(Utility)
Grants
Inspection Fees
Impact Fees
Cost Sharing
Public/ Private Partner-
ships
Loans
Volunteers
Managing Stormwater:
Common Methods for Funding
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Existing Stormwater Utilities
Source: Stormwater Utility Survey 2013, Figure 1, Warren Campbell, Western Kentucky University
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Stormwater Utilities by Year
So
urc
e: S
torm
wa
ter
Utilit
y S
urv
ey 2
01
0, F
igu
re 7
,
Warr
en
Cam
pb
ell,
Weste
rn K
en
tucky U
niv
ers
ity
NPDES
Phase II Rule
Hurricane Andrew &
Midwest flooding
1st SWU in
New England
NPDES
Phase I Rule
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8
What Led to Utility Popularity Nationally?
Changing stormwater programs – more complicated & expensive
Major flooding events
Regulatory drivers
Expansion of urban city’s roles
Desire to reduce competition with other prevailing priorities - fight
for limited resources with police, schools, roads, etc.
Proliferation of other enterprise funds - solid waste, wastewater
Failure of other methods
Informed constituencies
Political awareness
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New England Overview
Utility Established
Implementation Underway
Feasibility Study
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10
So why aren’t there many SWUs in New England?
Combined Sewer Systems
Recently established legal authority to establish SWUs
Other prevailing priorities - police, schools, or rain garden?
Missteps from other enterprise funds (e.g. fee creep)
Political concerns
Conflicts with other local initiatives or programs
Delayed re-issuance of MS4 permits
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What Current Drivers are increasing interest
in Stormwater Utilities in New England?
Asset management & integrated planning
Aging infrastructure
$1 in deferred maintenance ~ $4 to $5 in a long-term capital liability
Regulatory mandates – Phase II, TMDLs, Consent Orders
Economic value – e.g. clean beaches, commercial/recreational fishing
Flooding – development pressures, storm intensity
Erosion of channels and streams
Sustainability
Water quality
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Stormwater Utilities vs. Other Funding Methods
Stable – Dependable source of revenue.
Adequate – Meet the identified current needs and
future demands of the community.
Flexible – Adaptable to changing program and funding
needs over time.
Equitable – Cost are related to services received
(transparency).
General fund-
based
User-fee based
Maximum possible program
Time
$$
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Existing SWUs - User Fees
Most user fees based on measurable impervious cover
Most use Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU)
Fee per ERU per month
in New England
Range: $2.08 - $11.67
Median: $3.39
Average: $4.72
$0
$2
$4
$6
$8
$10
$12
$14
$16
1 24 47 70 93 116 139 162 185 208 231 254 277 300 323 346 369 392 415
Nationally
Median: $3.75
Average: $4.57
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• Chicopee, MA (pop. 54,653); 1998
$8.33/Month
$1M annual revenue
• Reading (pop. 21,145); 2006
$3.32/Month
$400,000 annual revenue
• Newton (pop. 83,829); 2006
$2.08/Month
$575,000 annual revenue
• Fall River (pop. 91,938); 2008
$11.67/Month
$4.6M annual revenue
• Lewiston, ME (pop.35,690); 2006
$4.12/Month & up to 2,900 SF
impervious area (IA); plus
$0.0540/SF thereafter
CSO & stormwater program $1.9M
annually
• Long Creek Watershed Management
District, ME; 2010
$250/year Private property >1 acre
impervious area (IA)
$3,000/IA/Year, $1.5M budget
Bangor, ME; 2012
$22/year up to 3,000 SF IA; plus
$11 for each 1,000 SF thereafter
$2M annual revenue
Examples – Existing Stormwater Utilities
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Legal Challenges
Source: Stormwater Utility Survey 2013, Figure 7, Warren Campbell, Western Kentucky University
25% of utilities are
challenged in the courts
Example: City of Lewiston, ME vs.
Gladu, Docket No. CV-10-045, 5-17-11
Challenged the following: • Stormwater utility a “tax” or a “fee”
• Basis of City’s fee assessment & credit
system
• Basis of program cost to provide service
“The court finds that the Lewiston
Stormwater Utility Fee as enacted and
assessed is valid.”
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Lessons Learned
Due Diligence – understand your community & its needs
Stakeholder, public, & media involvement
Understand & appreciate local politics
Good data - transparent technical analysis of cost & fees
Be responsive & accountable
Credit systems –
required & enhance sense of fairness
Billing challenges –
especially the first couples cycles
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Moving forward….
Increased fairness & distribution of cost
Recognize different uses - rural vs. urban,
multi-family vs. single family, new vs. older
development
Affordability
Improvements in GIS
Better data management at a cheaper cost
More fees based on actual impervious
measurement, instead of ERU
More accountability
Incentives/credits
Watershed/regional approaches
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Questions and Comments?
Kerry Reed, PE, LEED AP
AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc.
271 Mill Road
Chelmsford, MA 01824
978-392-5398 Direct
978-467-5023 Cell
GO ARMY!