Stormwater Fee Study Initiative

The Board of Supervisors adopted the Stormwater Management Utility Fee Ordinance on Tuesday, February 16, 2021. 

Background

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a user fee in the Township to provide stormwater management service funding for infrastructure needs, regulatory compliance, and maintenance objectives.

The Township is subject to a NPDES Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit. Since the initial permit application in 2002, the Township has hired additional staff to comply with permit submission requirements. Enabling legislation in the Commonwealth has allowed Pennsylvania municipalities to assess property owners a fee based on a number of different models including, but not limited to a “flat rate,” square footage of the lot, or total impervious area of each property. 

The Ferguson Township Public Works (FTPW) Department’s responsibilities relevant to stormwater management include street sweeping, concrete curb and inlet repairs, ditch grading, stormwater pipe repairs, maintenance of Township owned stormwater basins and BMPs (most stormwater basins and BMPs are privately owned). The replacement and maintenance of these facilities could potentially be funded by a stormwater fee. Stormwater pipe replacement can be a significant cost of any roadway improvement project. Failing corrugated metal storm pipes need to be replaced and could be funded by a stormwater fee.

In addition, the Township’s Engineering Department’s responsibilities include 5 of 6 measurable goals required by the Township’s MS4 permit including: public education and outreach, public participation and involvement, illicit discharge detection and elimination, post-construction site runoff control, and pollution prevention/good housekeeping. 

The Township will be required to reduce the sediment pollutant load to the Chesapeake Bay by 10 percent in the next permit cycle, and it is anticipated that a total reduction of 40 percent will be required through future permits. Projects required to be built and then maintained to meet these new pollutant reduction requirements may be funded by a future stormwater fee of some type.
It is also possible that the acquisition and maintenance of privately owned stormwater basins, as well as acquisition of drainage easements for flood control, could be funded by a stormwater fee.

The basic premise of most stormwater user user fees implemented around the state and the country is based on impervious area. Public educational meetings will be announced. Please direct questions to David Modricker, Public Works Director.